Oksana

Masters

Quick Facts

• Specialty: Sitting cross-country skiing/biathlon, road time trial H4-5 and road race H5
• Mom, Gay Masters, a professor at Louisville, adopted her when she was seven years old and raised her as a single parent
• Most decorated U.S. Winter Paralympian of all-time with 14 medals
• The first American to win seven medals at a single Paralympic Games (Beijing 2022)
• Stores all her medals in socks, especially after she broke her first Paralympic medal

Biographical Information

Oksana Masters is an American multi-sport athlete and Paralympic medalist, specializing in Para Nordic skiing, Para-cycling and Para-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. 

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)