Team USA's Oksana Masters Wins 11th Paralympic Gold Medal: "On Top of the World Right Now" Oksana Masters secured her 11th Paralympic gold medal by triumphing in the women’s sprint sitting discipline of Para cross-country skiing at the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympics. The victory marked a moment of personal redemption for the American athlete, who had finished second in the same event four years earlier during the 2022 Beijing Games. Masters celebrated her win with intense emotion, screaming in delight as she crossed the finish line, a stark contrast to her earlier near-miss. The race was a defining moment for Masters, who admitted to struggling with self-doubt throughout her career. "I struggle with believing in myself," she said after the event. "The team believed in me, so I wanted to show up for my team." Her perseverance paid off as she overcame a 40-meter deficit to the leader, Yunji Kim, during the final incline. Masters described her approach to the race as a mix of frustration and determination, noting, "I hate chasing. I would rather be chased, but I do realize that I do well with chasing and reeling people in, one by one, staying smooth and relaxed." This victory added to Masters’ already impressive tally, bringing her total Paralympic gold medals to seven in the Winter Games and four in the Summer Games. She now holds 21 total medals across both competitions, with 16 from the Winter Games and five from the Summer. Masters has competed in every Paralympics since 2012, excelling in Para cross-country and Para biathlon during the winter and Para cycling and Para rowing in the summer. Her journey to the top has been anything but easy.#oksana_masters #milan_cortina_2026 #para_cross_country_skiing #university_of_louisville #chernobyl_nuclear_disaster
