Oksana Masters secures 10th gold in US one-two at Milano Cortina Paralympics

US Para athlete Oksana Masters secured her 10th career Paralympic gold medal on Saturday, leading an American one-two finish in the women’s 7.5km sitting biathlon sprint at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympics The victory delivered the first medals of the Games for the United States, with Masters's teammate Kendall Gretsch earning silver

The event, held at the Val di Fiemme Nordic centre, was a showcase of precision and endurance. Both Masters and Gretsch demonstrated flawless marksmanship, hitting all 10 of their targets on the shooting range With no penalties for either American, the race for gold came down to pure skiing speed on the challenging course. Masters, 36, proved faster over the final lap, pulling away to cross the finish line in 21:21.3, a full 16 seconds ahead of Gretsch Germany’s Anja Wicker rounded out the podium, taking the bronze medal

For Masters, the victory adds another chapter to a storied career. It marks her 20th Paralympic medal overall, further cementing her status as the most decorated Winter Paralympian in US history The versatile athlete has previously won Paralympic titles in Para cross-country skiing and Para-cycling, showcasing her dominance across multiple disciplines

The Milano Cortina 2026 Games mark the 50th anniversary of the first Paralympic Winter Games The competitions will continue until March 15, featuring approximately 665 athletes competing in 79 medal events across six sports, including a new wheelchair curling mixed doubles event