The 25-year-old from the United States went into the race having achieved a clean sweep of the four major marathon titles in 2013 and won in Boston, London and Chicago this year. 

Despite falling near the finish line, McFadden completed the route, which was shortened to 23.2 milles after the start was moved from Verrazano Bridge in Staten Island into Brooklyn due to strong winds, in 1 hour 42min 16sec.

"I cannot believe that I have won eight marathons in a row," McFadden said.

"Again, this is absolutely incredible."

The Russian-born McFadden won a silver medal in cross-country skiing at Sochi 2014, adding to her 10 medals from the last three Summer Paralympic Games.

"This year has been an absolutely incredible year," McFadden said.

"There's no words to describe it.

"I did the Winter Paralympics in Sochi and I got to go back to my place where I was born and have my birth family, my adoptive family there.

"Winning the silver medal was just the cherry on top."

Tatyana McFadden has now won back-to-back marathon Grand Slams ©Getty Images



Speaking about her fall, McFadden said: "I just took the wrong line and I fell out of my wheelchair.

"I quickly had to get back in.

"I think I hit a bike.

"It was quite embarrassing but I owned it at that moment and I got back in and took one look behind me to make sure the girls didn't catch me.

"I just continued with my way up that last hill right before the finish."

Australia's Kurt Fearnley won his fifth New York City Marathon title ©Getty Images



Meanwhile in the men's race, Australia's Kurt Fearnley prevailed in a dramatic finish to win his fifth marathon title in New York.

Fearnley approached the final kilometre of the race amongst a pack of six riders, but broke free with 100 metres remaining to finish one second clear of South African runner-up Ernst van Dyk in a time of 1:30:55.

The 33-year-old said the strong winds that nearly caused the cancellation of the race made it the most difficult in recent memory.

"That was one of the toughest races of my life," said Fearnley, who won his first New York marathon in 2009. 

"This race is the highlight of the schedule every year and the feeling of winning here again is just indescribable."

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