Tag: Oksana Masters

Oksana Masters, who trains at Disability Resources and Educational Services at the University of Illinois, finished with five medals at the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games, including four golds in biathlon and cross-country skiing events.

Masters, 36, also won a bronze medal in the 20km Para cross-country skiing event, bringing her career Paralympics total to 24 medals. She had a third of Team USA’s 15 total medals at Milano Cortina, extending her legacy as the most decorated Winter Paralympian in U.S. history.

“To look back now and it’s my eighth games and I have 24 medals that I’ve brought home for Team USA … It’s just incredible,” Masters told reporters. “It’s something that I just could not have achieved on my own and I have so many people helping me and I’m so thankful for that.”

Other Team USA Paralympic competitors from the University of Illinois were Aaron Pike, who finished fourth in the men’s 12.5km biathlon, and Travis Dodson, who helped bring home Team USA’s fifth-straight gold in sled hockey.

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Oksana Masters, who trains at the University of Illinois’ Disability Resources and Educational Services, continued her amazing run at the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games in Italy.

Masters captured gold in the women’s sitting 10km to secure her third gold medal of these Paralympic Winter Games after completing the four laps and crossing the finish line in a time of 26:31.6. The victory brings Masters’ remarkable Paralympic medal count to 22, including 12 gold medals, continuing to add to one of the most decorated careers in Paralympic sport.

“I don’t even know what to think and I can’t believe it’s actually happening,” Masters told reporters. “I woke up very sore, and I knew it was going to be a really tough race right out of the gates. Our team was incredible, they were screaming and giving me updates out on the course and said, ‘How bad do you want this?’ I wanted it badly. This is an amazing team effort.”

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Oksana Masters, who trains at the University of Illinois’ Disability Resources and Educational Services, took gold in the women’s biathlon sprint at the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games on Saturday to earn the 20th Paralympic medal of her career and her 10th gold.

“My emotions are just pure shock—I did not expect a podium finish, to be honest, let alone a gold,” Masters told reporters. “It means the world to me. I feel like now I can kind of relax and enjoy the Games, enjoy the moment. I’m always shooting for gold, but that’s not the ultimate reason and I know it doesn’t define me. To be able to just have that gold knowing that everything went to plan, my team, my ski coach, my strength coach, everyone. I think that’s what means the most.”

Masters finished the course in a time of 21:21.3 and she added to her title as the most decorated U.S. winter Paralympian of all time.

In the men’s sitting class, Illinois alumnus Aaron Pike—who is engaged to Masters—finished sixth.

In Sunday’s competition, Masters placed fourth in the in the women’s sitting individual biathlon, while Pike finished fourth in the men’s sitting class.

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