Oksana Masters Copy

Quick Facts

• Specialty: Sitting cross-country skiing, road time trial H4-5 and road race H5

Biographical Information

Oksana Masters is an American multi-sport athlete and Paralympic medalist, specializing in cross-country skiing, cycling and rowing. She was born in Ukraine where the Chernobyl events were suspected to play a role in birth defects affecting her hands and legs.

She became interested in rowing at the age of 13 and started competing, quickly excelling in the sport. 

Masters has shared her inspirational journey through her book, "The Hard Parts: A Story of Courage and Triumph," which was published on Feb. 21, 2023. She won the Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability award in 2020 and was the first Para athlete to ever earn a nomination in the Best Athlete, Women's Sports for the ESPYS.

Masters studied Management at DeVry University through the USOPC Career and Education program. 

Paralympics Highlights

• Para-Rowing

  • Masters earned a bronze medal in the Trunk and Arms Mixed Double Sculls (TA) event at the London 2012 Paralympic Games. This achievement marked her as the first American to earn a medal in this category, setting the stage for her career in sports.

• Para Nordic Skiing

  • During the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Games, Masters won a silver medal in the Women's 12-kilometer sitting and a bronze medal in the women's 5-kilometer sitting events, marking her debut in Paralympic cross-country skiing.

  • At the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Games, she won gold medals in both the 1.5-kilometer sprint classic sitting and the 5-kilometer sitting events and secured a bronze medal in the 12-kilometer sitting event. During the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Games, Masters earned silver medals in the 15-kilometer sitting, 1.5-kilometer sprint sitting and 10-kilometer sitting events.

• Para-Cycling
  • At the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, Masters won gold medals in both the Road Time Trial H4-5 and Road Race H5 events.

World Championship Highlights

• Para-Rowing
  • At the 2013 World Rowing Championships in South Korea, Masters finished 4th in the mixed double sculls TA event.
• Para Nordic Skiing
  • Masters earned four gold medals and one bronze across various sitting events in the 2017 world championships. The 2019 World Championships were even more successful, with Masters claiming five gold medals and one silver. In 2022, she continued her impressive performance with two golds, one silver, and two bronze medals. She continued her success at the 2024 World Championships, securing two golds, one silver, and one bronze medal in sitting events, including success in both individual and team competitions.
• Para Cycling
  • At the Glasgow 2023 championships, Masters won a gold medal in the Road Race H5 event.

Early Career

After being introduced to rowing at the age of 13, Oksana fell in love with the sport. She met her rowing partner Rob Jones in 2011 and was named U.S. Rowing’s Female Athlete of the Year in 2012. Masters faced a setback due to a back injury, which ultimately prevented her from continuing to compete in rowing events. She started Nordic skiing in 2013 and hand cycling in 2014.

Paralympic Experience

• 7-time Paralympian; 19-time Paralympic medalist (9 gold, 7 silver, 3 bronze)
  • Paralympic Games Paris 2024, gold (H4-5 - Time Trial - Women, H5 - Road Race - Women)
  • Paralympic Games Beijing 2022, gold (12.5km Individual - Sitting - Women, 4 x 2.5km Relay Mixed - Mixed, 6km Individual - Sitting - Women), silver (10km Middle - Sitting - Women, 15km - Sitting - Women, 1km Sprint - Sitting - Women, 7.5km - Sitting - Women)
  • Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020, gold (H4-5 - Time Trial - Women, H5 - Road Race - Women)
  • Paralympic Games Pyeongchang 2018, (10km Middle - Sitting - Women), gold (1km Sprint - Sitting - Women, 5km - Sitting - Women), silver (12.5km Individual - Sitting - Women, 6km Individual - Sitting - Women), bronze (12km - Sitting - Women)
  • Paralympic Games Rio de Janeiro 2016, 4th (H5 - Road Race - Women), 5th (H4-5 - Time Trial - Women)
  • Paralympic Games Sochi 2014, silver (12km - Sitting - Women), bronze (5km - Sitting - Women), 4th (1km Sprint - Sitting - Women, 6km Individual - Sitting - Women), 8th (10km Middle - Sitting - Women)
  • Paralympic Games London 2012, bronze (Trunk & Arms Double Sculls - Mixed)

World Championships Experience

• Most recent: 2024 – gold (4km Team Sprint - Sitting - Open, 7.5km Sprint - Sitting - Women), silver (12.5km Individual - Sitting - Women), bronze (3km Pursuit - Sitting - Women)
• Years of participation: 12.5km Individual - Sitting - Women 2017, 2019, 2022, 2024; 3km Pursuit - Sitting - Women 2024; 4km Team Sprint - Sitting - Open 2024; 7.5km Sprint - Sitting - Women 2024; H5 - Road Race - Women 2014, 2015, 2019, 2022, 2023; H5 - Time Trial - Women 2014, 2015, 2019, 2022, 2023; 10km Middle - Sitting - Women 2015, 2017, 2019, 2022; 15km - Sitting - Women 2022; 1km Sprint - Sitting - Women 2015, 2017, 2019, 2022; 4 x 2.5km Relay Mixed - Mixed 2015, 2022; 6km Individual - Sitting - Women 2015, 2017, 2019, 2022; 12km - Sitting - Women 2015, 2017, 2019; 5km - Sitting - Women 2015, 2017, 2019; Trunk & Arms Double Sculls - Mixed 2013
• Medals: 28 (16 gold, 6 silver, 6 bronze)
  • Gold – 2024 (4km Team Sprint - Sitting - Open, 7.5km Sprint - Sitting - Women); 2023 (H5 - Road Race - Women); 2022 (H5 - Road Race - Women, H5 - Time Trial - Women, 15km - Sitting - Women, 1km Sprint - Sitting - Women); 2019 (10km Middle - Sitting - Women, 12km - Sitting - Women, 1km Sprint - Sitting - Women, 5km - Sitting - Women, 6km Individual - Sitting - Women); 2017 (12km - Sitting - Women, 1km Sprint - Sitting - Women, 5km - Sitting - Women, 6km Individual - Sitting - Women)
  • Silver – 2024 (12.5km Individual - Sitting - Women); 2022 (6km Individual - Sitting - Women); 2019 (H5 - Road Race - Women, H5 - Time Trial - Women, 12.5km Individual - Sitting - Women); 2015 (5km - Sitting - Women)
  • Bronze – 2024 (3km Pursuit - Sitting - Women); 2022 (10km Middle - Sitting - Women, 12.5km Individual - Sitting - Women); 2017 (12.5km Individual - Sitting - Women); 2015 (H5 - Road Race - Women, 1km Sprint - Sitting - Women)