Oksana Masters Wins 3 Golds After Battling Leg Infection

Three weeks before the 2026 Winter Paralympics, Oksana Masters faced a nightmare that had nothing to do with competition nerves.

The 36-year-old champion athlete was battling a severe leg infection that landed her in the hospital for a week. Doctors warned her that without immediate treatment, she wouldn't make it to Italy at all.

"There was a point where if I didn't get the medical help that I needed, if I didn't get to them a few days before or later, then I wouldn't have been able to race," Masters told PEOPLE. The infection was the same one that had sidelined her the previous season.

Masters made hour-long drives from her training camp to visit Team USA doctors in Cortina d'Ampezzo, who were already in Italy for the Olympic Games. Finding the right medication took time, and the clock was ticking toward competition day.

Then came another setback. Masters suffered a concussion during training, adding another layer of uncertainty to her preparation.

"The hardest part was getting a concussion and just waiting to be told when I was cleared to train again while the weeks and days were ticking down," she said. Despite growing nervous, Masters kept her focus and trusted her medical team.

She also kept her competitive fire burning. "If not, I was ready to cut up my sit-ski and create the hold, whatever I needed to still do it," she said.

Why This Inspires

Masters didn't just show up to the Paralympics. She dominated them. The champion cross-country skier won three gold medals, bringing her career total to 12 golds and 22 medals overall, making her the most decorated U.S. Paralympian in history.

Her victories in Italy came just weeks after she wasn't sure she'd be medically cleared to compete at all. The journey from a hospital bed to the top of the podium shows what's possible when elite athletes meet dedicated medical teams.

Masters says her "ultimate gold medal moment" would be watching her fiancée Aaron Pike win his first Paralympic medal, proving that even history-making champions find joy in celebrating others.