Paralympic Medal Count: Oksana Masters Wins 11th Gold at Milan Cortina
Oksana Masters claimed her 11th Paralympic gold medal in the women’s sprint sitting discipline in Para cross-country skiing at Milan Cortina, a victory she called “redemption” and one that reshaped the paralympic medal count for the most decorated American Winter Paralympian. Masters also won the women’s sprint sitting discipline in Para biathlon earlier in the Games, and the triumph capped a comeback after a difficult season that included surgery, a bone infection and a concussion.
Paralympic Medal Count
Masters’ win raised her total Paralympic medal count to 21: 16 medals in Winter Games events and five in Summer Games competition. She now holds seven Winter Paralympic gold medals alongside four Summer Paralympic golds, making the 11th gold a milestone that cements her position among the sport’s most successful multi-season athletes.
Race, Redemption and Personal Background
The victory in the sprint final was dramatic. Masters screamed several times in delight after crossing the line, having been 40 meters behind leader Yunji Kim at the start of the final incline before powering up the ascent and overtaking her rival as they crested the summit. She said it was “such a relief and redemption from Beijing, ” noting the race had been “the one that got away” four years earlier when she finished second in the event.
Masters described the mental challenge of sprint racing: “I love sprints and I hate sprints because there’s so much stress, ” and added, “I struggle with believing in myself and that was a big thing. The team believed in me, so I wanted to show up for my team. ” On her racing style she acknowledged a dislike of chasing but conceded it can suit her: “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. ” After the win she said, “I feel absolutely on top of the world right now, just in complete shock, and so, so happy. “
The win at Milan Cortina was Masters’ second gold at these Games, following her sprint triumph in Para biathlon. The 36-year-old came into the winter season recovering from significant health setbacks but delivered two gold medals on the sport’s biggest stage.
Masters has competed in every Paralympics since 2012, earning medals across winter and summer disciplines: Para cross-country and Para biathlon in winter, and Para cycling and Para rowing in summer. She was born in Ukraine with birth defects believed to be related to the Chernobyl nuclear accident. Gay Masters, a professor at the University of Louisville, adopted her when she was 7 and raised her as a single parent. She had her left leg amputated at age 9 and her right leg amputated at age 14.
Her career honors include winning the Laureus World sportsperson of the year with a disability award in 2020 and becoming the first Para athlete to earn a nomination in the best athlete category for women’s sports at the ESPYs. The 11th Paralympic gold at Milan Cortina adds to that legacy and shifts the paralympic medal count in a season defined by comeback and consistency.
