Oksana Masters, a multi-sport athlete, recently competed in Milan Cortina as the most decorated U.S. Winter Paralympian in history, with 19 medals prior to the event.
Leading up to the Games, Masters faced significant challenges, including a concussion, a recurrent leg infection, and recovery from hand surgery for a torn ligament. Despite these setbacks, she committed to competing.
Early Life and Athletic Beginnings
Masters, 36, was born in Ukraine with birth defects due to radiation poisoning. She spent her early years in orphanages before being adopted by an American mother and moving to the U.S. at age 7. She underwent amputations of both legs at ages 9 and 14, along with multiple reconstructive hand surgeries.
Masters began adaptive rowing at 13, finding a new sense of freedom in the sport. She won a bronze medal at her first Paralympics in 2012 at age 23.
Milan Cortina: Expanding a Legacy
Following a back injury, Masters transitioned from rowing to cycling, cross-country skiing, and biathlon. In Milan Cortina, she started her competition by winning the 7.5 km sitting biathlon sprint.
She concluded the Games with five new medals, including four gold, bringing her career total to 24 Paralympic medals.
Nineteen of these are from winter sports, solidifying her status as the most decorated U.S. Winter Paralympian. She is also the third most-decorated Paralympian in U.S. history.
The Power of Perseverance
Masters emphasizes the significance of her losses, noting races where she finished in fourth and sixth place, failing to qualify for the 2008 Paralympics, and missing the podium in 2016. She highlighted that it took her four Paralympic Games to earn a gold medal, which she achieved in 2018.
She views perseverance through failures as a key strength. A notable victory in Milan Cortina was the women's cross-country sprint race, where she overcame a significant gap to win, describing it as