2026 Wheelchair Athlete Bios

Valera Jacob Allen, 25, of Kingwood, TX, took up wheelchair racing at 17-years-old after moving to the United States from Ukraine as a teenager. Through his time in the sport, Allen has excelled in both collegiate and para-athletic stages, being invited to the U.S. Paralympic Tokyo trials for the 100 m and 400 m races, earning silver and bronze medals at the U.S. Paralympic Track and Field Adult National Championships at all distances from the 100 m to the 5000 m. As for longer distances, Allen previously won the 2022 Honolulu marathon, and raced at the New York, Houston, and Boston Marathons earlier this year. While at the University of Arizona, Allen doesn’t stray far from his athletics, earning his AdaptX certificate to assist people with disabilities in exercising alongside completing an internship with the adaptive sports program at the University of Arizona.

FALMOUTH HISTORY:
2024: 4th (28:33)

Hermin Garic, 36, is a U.S. wheelchair racing standout and 2021 Falmouth Road Race Men’s Wheelchair Champion. Hailing from Utica, NY, he has consistently finished on the podium in recent editions, including a 2nd‑place finish in 2022 and 3rd in 2023, with a best time of 25:11 in 2023. A multi‑time BAA 10K champion and course record‑holder at the Cooper River Bridge Run, he’s known not only for his performance but also for fostering community and awareness of adaptive sports. In 2026, Garic returns as a proven competitor and respected leader in the field.

FALMOUTH HISTORY:
2025: 4th (25:53)
2023: 3rd (25:11)
2022: 2nd (25:30)
2021: 1st (25:24)
2019: 3rd (25:28)
2018: 2nd (28:41)
2017: 6th (26:59)
2016: 2nd (29:15)
2015: 4th (26:57)
2014: 4th (27:25)
2013: 6th (28:10)

Miguel Jimenez Vergara, 26, of Chula Vista, CA, is a Falmouth Road Race Men’s Wheelchair Champion, having taken the title in 2024 with a time of 26:01. He is fresh off a win at the L.A. Marathon on March 8, 2026 (1:42:09). He also posted a dominant win in the Boilermaker 15K on July 13, 2025 (34:50). With established wins at the Broad Street Run and Kessler 10K, plus consistent upward momentum over the past four years at Falmouth, he stands out as a focused and formidable challenger in 2026.

FALMOUTH HISTORY:
2025: 2nd (23:58)
2024: 1st (26:01)
2023: 2nd (24:32)
2022: 7th (27:51)

Krige Schabort, 62, of Rome, GA, is a revered figure in American wheelchair racing. A former South African corporal turned six‑time Paralympian and Ironman finisher, he claimed the Falmouth Road Race men’s wheelchair division title five times between 2008 and 2012. In 2025, he returned to Falmouth to earn 3rd place with a time of 24:41, following recent finishes of 2nd in 2024, 4th in 2022, and 5th in 2023. Off the course, Schabort co-founded the Rome Clocktower Classic Handcycle Races and directs the Wheelchair Athlete Training Camp in Georgia, empowering a new generation of athletes. In 2025, he enters Falmouth not only as a storied competitor but also as a dedicated mentor and trailblazer in the sport.

FALMOUTH HISTORY:
2025: 3rd (24:41)
2024: 2nd (26:10)
2023: 5th (29:21)
2022: 4th (25:36)
2019: 6th (27:42)
2017: 2nd (23:29)
2014: 2nd (25:13)
2013: 1st (24:170
2012: 1st (24:16)
2011: 1st (24:11)
2009: 1st (26:13)
2008: 1st (23:35)

Delmace Mayo, 20, of Jamaica Plain, MA, is a rising star in U.S. wheelchair racing. In April of 2026, he participated in his second Boston Marathon with a time of 1:51:11 and previously secured a silver medal in the 5,000 m at the 2023 WorldAbility Sport Games. Mayo also made history as the first wheelchair athlete to win the New Balance Indoor Nationals Mile in 2024. A multi-sport talent who excels in adaptive track, WCMX, sled hockey, basketball, and more, Mayo approaches the 2026 Falmouth Road Race as an exciting young prospect poised for breakout performances.

FALMOUTH HISTORY:
2025: 8th (29:06)
2024: 7th (31:36)
2023: 9th (34:00)
2022: 11th (32:44)
2021: 8th (36:28)

Tony Nogueira, 58, of Glen Ridge, NJ, is a veteran wheelchair racer, longtime mentor, and high school art teacher with more than 30 years of experience in adaptive athletics. A former champion of the Falmouth Road Race (2002, 2016), he returned in 2025 to finish 7th, continuing a long history of excellence on Cape Cod. Known not just for his racing success but also for his commitment to mentoring new athletes, Nogueira regularly volunteers at clinics and training camps, helping grow the next generation of racers. In 2026, he returns to Falmouth as both a competitor and a leader in the sport.

FALMOUTH HISTORY:
2025: 7th (28:26)
2024: 6th (30:08)
2021: 3rd (29:03)
2019: 4th (25:41)
2018: 4th (29:00)
2017: 5th (26:28)
2016: 1st (27:37)
2015: 3rd (25:53)
2014: 3rd (26:00)
2013: 5th (27:20)
2012: 5th (28:04)
2011: 3rd (26:56)
2009: 2nd (25:57)
2008: 2nd (25:45)
2005: 1st (26:01)
2004: 1st (26:13)
2003: 1st (26:33)
2002: 1st (25:20)
2001: 2nd (30:19)
2000: 2nd (26:38)
1997: 4th (24:40)
1995: 3rd (28:32)

Gary Brendel, 67, of Sterling, MA has a multi-decade career as a well-known elite wheelchair competitor. Brendel has been a Falmouth Road Race athlete since 2003, and this year he will return to his sixteenth race. Competing primarily on the East Coast, he has multiple recorded finishes at various regional races, including the Boston Marathon and Boilermaker 15K Road Race. He also holds the champion title for the Boston Marathon BAA 5K in 2011, 2012, and 2013. Not only is Brendel a consistent top finisher in major marathons and races, he continues to be a prominent and highly respected American athlete.

FALMOUTH HISTORY:
2025: 10th (32:32)
2024: 9th (34:14)
2023: 8th (31:58)
2022: 9th (31:48)
2021: 6th (31:33)
2019: 9th (28:45)
2018: 5th (32:08)
2017: 8th (29:08)
2016: 3rd (30:26)
2015: 6th (28:46)
2014: 5th (28:14)
2011: 4th (28:53)
2010: 4th (28:38)
2009: 5th (27:58)
2008: 4th (27:44)

Evan Correll has improved his finishing place at each of the last three editions of the United Airlines NYC Half – finishing fourth in 2022, third in 2023, and second in 2024. He will now look to be at the top of the podium in 2025. A standout collegiate athlete, Correll became a two-time NCAA 100-meter wheelchair national champion in 2024. In a landmark moment, the race was held at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships for the first time. In 2023, Correll represented Team USA at the Parapan American Games in Santiago, Chile, where he won gold in the 5,000 meters and bronze in both the 100 and 400 meters. Most recently, he won 14th at World Para Athletics Para Grand Prix. in the 5000 m with a time of 10:25.98

Matthew Darlow, 59, from Tinton Falls, NJ is an Achilles Int’l athlete, a University of Illinois wheelchair racing graduate, and a professional basketball player. On the court, Matthew has earned some impressive accolades, including winning a bronze medal with the USA basketball team at the Maccabiah games. Matthew also regularly places near the top of the field during the Belmar Five, notably securing a top 5 finish in the wheelchair division. This will be Matthew’s 2nd Falmouth Road Race.

FALMOUTH HISTORY:
2025: 18th (1:53:12)

Matt Davis, 59, of Bowling Green, KY, has spent decades shaping his wheelchair racing career into becoming a national and international elite athlete, including placing 21st overall in the 2011 Boston Marathon push-rim wheel competition. Being the past President of the National Wheelcats – a nonprofit providing adaptive sports access across Kentucky and Tennessee – Davis has expanded his athletics with adaptive basketball, sledge-hockey, and earned cornhole titles. Outside of athletics, Davis sits on the Kentucky Statewide Vocational Rehabilitation Council, earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Social Work from Western Kentucky University, and has worked at WKU’s Student Accessibility Resource Center since 2001, where he serves as Assistant Director.

FALMOUTH HISTORY:
2024: 11th (39:31)
2022: 12th (33:25)
2021: 9th (36:49)
2019: 13th (34:59)
2014: 9th (35:02)
2012: 10th (34:28)
2011: 10th (34:14)
2009: 6th (28:48)
2008: 7th (30:20)

Ryan Davis of Waskom, TX, joins us this year in his first Falmouth Road Race. At just 17 years old, Waskom’s Ryan Davis is already breaking records in wheelchair track and representing the United States on the international stage at the World Para Athletics Grand Prix in Switzerland. Davis was recently named Male Track Athlete of the Year by USA Track & Field, and is marking his first Falmouth early on his way to a skyrocketing career in adaptive racing.

Ulysses Elijah, 69, of Decatur, GA is a Triple Crown Race Series Grand Master’s competitor. Elijah is a regular competitor at the international Cedartown 5K Wheelchair Road Race. Elijah frequently shares his story to inspire others facing mobility issues and recently authored a memoir about his athletic career. This will be his 5th Falmouth Road Race.

FALMOUTH HISTORY:
2025: 11th (34:27)
2023: 10th (37:15)
2019: 16th (37:52)
2018: 9th (37:22)

Micheal LaRose, 35, of Bay Shore, New York has competed in over ten marathons – including NYC twice. LaRose consistently ranks among the top finishers in his division at the Achilles Hope and Possibilities 4 mile race held in Central Park, New York. During his participation in the Heckscher State Park 5K he secured an impressive second place finish with a time of 8.38.34. LaRose returns this year for his second year competing in the Falmouth Road Race.

FALMOUTH HISTORY:
2025: 17th (47:26)

William Lehr, 68, of Shelter Island, NY, a paralympic athlete representing the USA two times in his career. Lehr participated in the 1984 Summer Paralympics bringing home three silver and a bronze medal in both athletes and swimming. His first Falmouth Road Race was in the third year of the wheelchair division in 1978, and he continues to come back time and time again to compete in Falmouth.

FALMOUTH HISTORY:
2025: 16th (43:28)
2024: 12th (50:54)
2023: 11th (40:58)
2022: 14th (43:17)
2021: 10th (45:20)
2017: 15th (42:10)
2016: 11th (43:57)
2015: 10th (40:01)
2014: 10th (38:47)
2012: 14th (40:13)
2011: 12th (38:51)
2010: 13th (40:58)
2009: 14th (41:18)

Alexis Romero, 31, is originally from Mexico but is currently based in South Gate, CA. Completing 11 full marathons so far – including the Los Angeles Marathon – Romero logs consistent high mileage weeks while training, often exceeding 40 miles per week. Recently Romero completed the challenging Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth, MN with a time of 2:29:04.

Jose Puido comes to us from Mexico but currently resides in Georgia. He represented Mexico at the 2000 Paralympic games in Australia, where he was a part of the Wheelchair Basketball team. In June, he placed 8th in the men’s wheelchair division of Grandma’s Marathon. Most recently, he raced in the Northside Hospital Peachtree Road Race with a time of 24:54. Jose is back in Falmouth and ready for his 4th Falmouth Road Race.

FALMOUTH HISTORY:
2024: 5th (28:50)
2022: 9th (28:38)
2018: 4th (28:45)

Tatyana McFadden, 37, is one of the most decorated wheelchair athletes in history and a global leader in the movement for disability inclusion in sport. A 22-time Paralympic medalist, has 20+ major marathon titles, including multiple victories at Boston, London, Chicago, and New York, the first athlete ever to win the Grand Slam of marathons in a single year (Boston, London, Chicago, and NYC in 2013 and again in 2015), she returns to the 2026 ASICS Falmouth Road Race with elite form and a personal connection—her grandparents met in Falmouth and her family lives in Falmouth, and the race remains close to her heart. McFadden remains a top contender, finishing 5th at the 2025 Boston Marathon and 1st at the Boston 10K. Off the course, she was at the center of a landmark legal case in high school that led to legislation requiring equal access to interscholastic sports for students with disabilities (Maryland, 2006), now echoed in national policies, is the co-founder of the Tatyana McFadden Foundation, which works to expand access to sports and mobility equipment for kids with disabilities globally, and helped direct the Netflix documentary “Rising Phoenix,” which highlights the Paralympic movement and athletes’ stories.

FALMOUTH HISTORY:
2025: 1st (26:05)
2022: 2nd (30:05)
2019: 1st (26:15)
2018: 1st (28:43)
2017: 1st (27:36)
2015: 1st (26:27)
2014: 1st (27:06)

Madelyn Wilson, a 17-year-old wheelchair racer from Auburn, Massachusetts, is set to compete in her tenth ASICS Falmouth Road Race this August. Having participated in over thirty 10K races and seventy 5K races, she has medaled in wheelchair track events ranging from 100m to 3000m. At the 2025 Falmouth Road Race, Wilson finished 4th in the wheelchair division with a time of 39:16. In recognition of her exceptional achievements, Wilson was honored with the Sports ‘N Spokes Junior Athlete of the Year award, a prestigious accolade celebrating dedication and excellence in adaptive sports. Beyond her athletic prowess, Wilson is an advocate for adaptive sports, inspiring others with her determination and passion. As she approaches her tenth Falmouth appearance, she continues to be a formidable presence in the wheelchair racing community.

FALMOUTH HISTORY:
2025: 4th (39:16)
2024: 4th (42:09)
2023: 4th (41:28)
2022: 7th (45:27)
2021: 4th (48:26)
2019: 5th (52:25)
2018: 6th (1:00:17)
2017: 6th (1:01:19)
2016: 6th (1:15:42)

Hannah Babalola, 37, is a Nigerian Paralympian and accomplished wheelchair racer, celebrated for her resilience and competitive spirit. She represented Nigeria at the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games, competing in the women’s 100m and 800m T54 events, and again at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games in the 100m and 400m T54 events. Babalola has secured victories at the 2023 Cooper River Bridge Run and the 2022 Twin Cities Marathon, further solidifying her status in the wheelchair racing community. She recently won the women’s wheelchair title at the 2026 LA Marathon with a time of 2:17:29, over two minutes ahead of the second place female. At the 2025 Falmouth Road Race, she finished 3rd in the wheelchair division with a time of 31:13. Babalola’s dedication to the sport and her consistent performances make her a formidable contender in upcoming races.

FALMOUTH HISTORY:
2025: 3rd (31:13)
2024: 3rd (32:23)
2023: 3rd (31:26)
2022: 4th (35:34)
2018: 4th (35:47)
2017: 2nd (29:12)

Hoda Elshorbagy, 36, is an Egyptian wheelchair racer who made history in 2024 by becoming the first Egyptian athlete to win any division of the ASICS Falmouth Road Race. Most recently, Elshorbagy took the victory in the women’s wheelchair race at the 2026 TD Beach to Beacon 10K, clocking in at 26:25. Elshorbagy’s journey into wheelchair racing began in 2016 after watching the Paralympic Games on television. Inspired by athletes like Tatyana McFadden, she pursued the sport despite limited resources in her rural Egyptian village. She taught herself training techniques through online videos and English language courses, eventually traveling to the United States to train with the University of Illinois wheelchair racing team. As she prepares for the upcoming 2026 Falmouth Road Race, Elshorbagy remains a trailblazer in adaptive sports, inspiring others with her determination and achievements.

FALMOUTH HISTORY:
2025: 2nd (28:42)
2024: 1st (29:20)

A teacher and a mom to two little ones, Brenna has never let being in a wheelchair stop her from living life to the fullest. Now, with a background in adaptive sports and recreational therapy, Brenna aims to help others overcome physical obstacles like hers. Brenna climbs, skis, and bikes on mountains in Western MA, Maine, Colorado and other places. She also encourages the thousands of people who follow her on Instagram and read her blog to see the positive side of life and live for today. She’s recently started her racing journey and just completed the Western Mass Mother’s Day Half Marathon in her hometown of Whately, MA with a time of 1:55. She’ll be competing in her first Falmouth Road Race on behalf of the Jack Trottier Foundation for Spinal Cord Injury.

Mary MacDonald, 17, of Taunton, MA, is a multisport adaptive wheelchair racer and para‑athlete who has earned multiple national titles in track, field, and para powerlifting while balancing a rigorous high school and training schedule. She has successfully completed prestigious events including the ASICS Falmouth Road Race, where she placed 6th in the women’s wheelchair division in 2025, and continues to chase personal bests at the regional and national level. Beyond competition, Mary is a passionate advocate for disability inclusion and a Digital and Visual Communications student who uses storytelling, social media, and public appearances to promote adaptive sports and inspire other young athletes with disabilities.

FALMOUTH HISTORY:
2025: 6th (54:36)