Oksana Masters made history again on Saturday, as the multi-sport talent earned gold in the women's sprint sitting Para biathlon to pad her already dominant resume as Team USA's most decorated Paralympian.
Masters' Saturday championship is also the first gold medal for the US at the 2026 Winter Paralympics.
"My emotions are just pure shock, I did not expect this," said Masters following her win. "All I was hoping was just to have a good time in the shooting range. I did not expect a podium finish to be honest, let alone a gold."
With 10 Paralympic victories — six Winter Games golds and four Summer golds — Masters now boasts an astounding 20 medals, earning podium finishes in rowing, cycling, cross-country skiing, and biathlon across seven different Paralympic Games.
Appearing in every Paralympics since 2012, the 36-year-old is coming off a difficult run, needing surgery over the summer as well as suffering both an infection and a concussion in the weeks leading up to Milan.
"I'm starting to realize that's who I am," she said. "I have to have adversity going into the Games, although I don't like it."
No stranger to conquering challenges, Masters leans on her "very strong 'why'" to outlast the competition.
"It's for every Paralympian, every athlete with a disability that was overlooked and was told they were never going to be enough and didn't belong," she explained after her Saturday victory. "That helps me overcome those adversities."
How to Watch Oksana Masters at the 2026 Winter Paralympics
Masters will next compete in Tuesday's para cross-country skiing competition, with qualifying beginning at 4:45 AM ET before the medal race starts at 8:22 AM ET.
All rounds will stream live on NBCOlympics.com.
