Oksana Masters wins 3rd gold at Milan Cortina Games to push Paralympics medal total to 22

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The medal count is now at 22 for Oksana Masters, the most decorated American Winter Paralympian.

Masters won the Para cross-country 10km interval start sitting race on Wednesday for her third gold in four events at the Milan Cortina Games. She had won the cross-country sprint on Tuesday and the Para biathlon sprint on Saturday. Masters just missed out on the podium on Sunday by finishing fourth in the Para biathlon individual sitting.

Wednesday's feat allowed her to equal the three golds she won at the 2022 Beijing Winter Paralympic Games.

“I didn’t even think about that, but oh my gosh,” she said. “The competitor in me wants to keep pushing, (to find out) how many golds can I get from one Games. But at the same time, I am so excited to see the sport growing. Younger athletes are coming up, they’re helping me to get better, and I’m so excited to share this podium with my teammate (bronze medalist Kendall Gretsch). Hopefully we can continue to go the same (way) again.”

Masters now has eight Winter Paralympic gold medals to go along with her four victories at the Summer Paralympics. She has competed in every Games since 2012, earning medals in Para cross-country and Para biathlon in the winter and Para cycling and Para rowing in the summer.

She's won 17 medals in the Winter Games and five in the Summer Games.

“I’m just so proud to be able to bring home another gold for Team USA,” Masters said. “When you line up, you do everything you can. I know my team helped me with the skis, the prep, the nutrition, sports psychology and everything, and it’s just for me to go and execute, and nothing’s a given. I had to fight.”

The 36-year-old Masters has been triumphing despite coming off a difficult season that included surgery, a bone infection and a concussion.

She was born in Ukraine with birth defects believed to be related to the Chernobyl nuclear accident. She had to go through orphanages at an early age in Ukraine before being adopted by an American mother. She had her left leg amputated at age 9, and her right leg amputated at age 14.

Fellow American Sydney Peterson won the women's 10km interval start classic standing race to secure her first individual Paralympic gold medal.

“It’s really cool. I feel like I’ve been second and third a lot, so winning an individual gold is amazing,” she said. “It was pretty exciting. I have not won a lot of races. Prior to this season, I had not won a race before, so it’s really cool. This season I’m able to get to the start line and be healthy, which is awesome.”

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AP Winter Paralympics: https://apnews.com/hub/paralympic-games