Continuing their dominance in para cross-country skiing at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympics—highlighted by three golds on day two—Jake Adicoff and Oksana Masters added to Team USA's medal haul with standout performances. Adicoff became the first out gay man to win an individual winter Paralympic gold, while Masters earned her third gold of the Games and 22nd career Paralympic medal.
Jake Adicoff, a 30-year-old from Sun Valley, Idaho, with no vision in his right eye and limited vision in his left due to contracting chickenpox in the womb, won gold in the men's sprint classic on Tuesday, March 11, at the Tesero Cross-Country Centre, followed by victory in the 10km classic interval start on Wednesday—finishing over 1:45 ahead of his nearest rival. During his fourth Paralympics, Adicoff dramatically bowed at the finish and medal ceremony.
Competing since 2014 with guides Reid Goble and Peter Wolter, he previously earned silver in Pyeongchang 2018 and medals in Beijing 2022. Unlike the pandemic-limited Beijing Games, friends and family cheered him on this time, wearing custom hats and waving large images. "To have so many people that came out and supported us... It's so nice having friends and family here," Adicoff said. Speaking to Outsports about representation, he noted: "The higher you get in sport, the less out people that you see... showing that it's possible to reach this upper echelon of sport as an out athlete and as a Para-athlete, that's super important to me."
Adicoff has upcoming races in the 20km on Sunday and the 4x2.5km mixed relay on Saturday.
Oksana Masters, 36, born in Ukraine and adopted at age 7, had her legs amputated due to Chernobyl radiation effects. She won gold in the women's 10km sitting interval start on March 11 (26:31.5), her third gold in four events after biathlon and cross-country sprints, placing fourth in the individual sitting. The most decorated U.S. Winter Paralympian with 12 golds and 22 total medals over eight Games, Masters told CBS News: "My cheeks are hurting from smiling. I feel like I'm on top of the world." She added, "I know that life isn't guaranteed, and so I don't take anything for granted," and eyes upgrades in remaining events.
Sydney Peterson also claimed gold in the women's 10km classical standing. With 12 medals, the U.S. sits second in the overall table behind China's 14.
