Jenna Fesemyer

Jenna Fesemyer (born January 31, 1997) is an American wheelchair racer. She won a gold and a silver medal at the 2019 Parapan American Games held in Lima, Peru. She also represented the United States at the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo, Japan.

In 2020, she won the bronze medal in the women's wheelchair race in the London Marathon held in London, United Kingdom.

Early life and education Fesemyer was born with proximal femoral focal deficiency and is one of triplets. She earned a bachelor's degree in kinesiology and communications from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 2019, followed by a master's degree in education policy, organization and leadership. As of 2024, she is pursuing a PhD in Recreation, Sport and Tourism at the same institution.

Career

Fesemyer won the silver medal in the women's wheelchair race in the 2019 Los Angeles Marathon held in Los Angeles, United States. In the same year, she represented the United States at the 2019 Parapan American Games held in Lima, Peru and she won the gold medal in the women's 800 metres T54 event and the silver medal in the women's 400 metres T54 event. In November 2019, she finished in 7th place in the women's category of the New York City Marathon held in New York City, United States. Fesemyer came third at the delayed 2020 London Marathon.

At the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo, Japan, Fesemyer finished in 7th place in the women's 5000 metres T54 event with a new personal best of 11:17.24. She also competed in the women's 1500 metres T54 and women's marathon T54 events.

Two months after the Paralympics, Fesemyer competed in several wheelchair marathon races: she finished in third place in the women's wheelchair race at the 2021 Chicago Marathon and she also respectively finished in 9th and 6th place in this race at the 2021 London Marathon and 2021 Boston Marathon. She also finished in 4th place in the 2021 New York City Marathon.

In 2023, Fesemyer won the women's wheelchair division of Grandma's Marathon in Duluth, Minnesota, finishing in 1:47:20. She was also named to the U.S. Paralympic team for the 2024 Summer Paralympics in Paris, where she competed in the 800m, 1500m, and marathon T54 events.

Achievements

Representing 2019 Los Angeles Marathon Los Angeles, United States 2nd Marathon 2:04:14 Parapan American Games Lima, Peru 2nd 400 m 1st 800 m 2020 London Marathon London, United Kingdom 3rd Marathon 1:52:16 2021 Summer Paralympics Tokyo, Japan 7th 5000 m 11:17:24 6th (h) 1500 m 3:37:56 11th Marathon 1:50:06 London Marathon London, United Kingdom 9th Marathon 2:03:08 Chicago Marathon Chicago, United States 3rd Marathon 1:50:23 Boston Marathon Boston, United States 6th Marathon 1:59:51 New York City Marathon New York City, United States 4th Marathon 1:59:45 2022 New York City Marathon New York City, United States 5th Marathon 1:51:38 2023 New York City Half Marathon New York City, United States 4th Half-Marathon 1:03:44 New York Mini 10K New York City, United States 2nd 10 km 25:16 London Marathon London, United Kingdom 8th Marathon 1:47:43 Peachtree Road Race Atlanta, United States 4th 10 km 25:50