Jake Adicoff Wins 3rd Gold, Makes US Paralympic History

Jake Adicoff hit the ground hard after winning his third gold medal at the Milan Paralympics, but not from exhaustion. His teammate Oksana Masters tackled him in celebration after their team won the Para cross-country mixed relay on Saturday.

"It was initially a hug, and then she kind of put all her weight into it, and then all of a sudden I was on the ground," Adicoff laughed. The vision-impaired skier had just made history earlier in the week as the first openly gay American man to win Winter Paralympic gold.

Adicoff's golden week started Tuesday with the sprint classic race, followed by Wednesday's interval start classic victory. The relay win marked his third gold at these Milan Games, with fans now sporting hats bearing his name.

The Sun Valley, Idaho native has been celebrating each win with theatrical bows to the crowd. "You've got to keep it fresh," he said, joking that he's open to new celebration ideas from fans.

Adicoff has no vision in his right eye and limited vision in his left after contracting chicken pox before birth. His parents switched him from Alpine to cross-country skiing when he was young, a decision that clearly paid off.

This isn't his first time on the Paralympic podium. He won silver in the 2018 Pyeongchang Games, retired briefly, then returned to help Team USA win mixed relay gold in Beijing 2022.

Why This Inspires

Adicoff represents one of five openly LGBTQ+ athletes on Team USA at Milan, though he wasn't publicly out during previous Paralympic competitions. His visibility at the highest level of adaptive sports sends a powerful message about authenticity and excellence going hand in hand.

His relay teammate Masters also made history Saturday, winning her 23rd Paralympic medal across Winter and Summer Games. The 36-year-old's four golds at Milan lead all athletes so far at these Games.

"I'm just so lucky," Masters said about her record-breaking achievement. "There's something in Italy and the air and the coffee, the pizza, that is treating me well."

The mixed relay team, which also included Joshua Sweeney and Sydney Peterson, dominated their competition. Masters said helping Adicoff chase his clean sweep in cross-country skiing made the victory even sweeter.

Adicoff has one more chance to add to his medal haul when he competes Sunday in the 20-kilometer interval start free race, his final event at Milan. Whether he adds another gold or not, he's already proven that being yourself and chasing your dreams aren't mutually exclusive.