From wheels in the summer to skis in the winter, Oksana Masters is a champion of speed + endurance. With 19 medals across seven games under her belt, this local athlete is a force to be reckoned with, no matter the season.
Masters moved to Louisville in 2001 at the age of 12, four years after she came to the US from Ukraine. She was born near the site of the Chernobyl disaster, which has been credited for her being born with missing bones, muscles, fingers, and organs.
It was a coach with the Louisville Rowing Club who first put the Paralympics on Masters’ radar, and she competed in her first games in 2012. She’s competed in multiple events at every summer and winter Paralympics since, nabbing at least one medal each time except in 2016 — when she came in 4th.
Now, Oksana Masters is gearing up for her eighth Paralympics, this time in Milan. She’s had a rough training road, battling a recurring infection in her legs, but she plans to hit the snow in cross country skiing and biathalon events starting this weekend.
Bonus: The Paralympic Opening Ceremony is this Friday, March 6.
