Shaunta Maé Alexander
Residence: Los Angeles
Shaunta Maé grew up in foster care and faced abuse but found strength through sports.
She has spent years navigating serious health challenges, including two separate episodes of paralysis that forced her to relearn basic skills. She is now running her first marathon to advocate for other people with disabilities.
What are you most excited about for the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon, which is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the iconic 5-boro marathon course?
“I am most excited to move through all five boroughs of a city I deeply cherish, sharing space with people from every background and feeling the belonging that this iconic course has created for 50 years. Experiencing this as an adaptive athlete, who once only dreamed of this while paralyzed, to now having the opportunity to run the streets of New York will be a core memory I cherish for the rest of my life.”