About Me
I'm a coffee drinker, animal lover, and world traveler with a passion for sports. I truly believe that if we dream, we can achieve... Especially when there's a good cup of coffee in your hand. I lived the first seven and a half years of my life in orphanages, imagining how it would feel to achieve the success I always knew I could reach.
Growing Up Anything But Ordinary
I was born in Ukraine in 1989. The location and time of my birth have significance because of the catastrophic events that occurred 3 years earlier, during the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant disaster. No one could have known that a routine systems test at the plant would have huge consequences when my birth mother and I fell in its path.
My Birth
The radiation had interesting effects on my development in-utero. I was born an otherwise healthy baby, but had significant birth defects to my limbs and a few of my organs. I was born with six toes on each foot, five webbed fingers on each hand and no thumbs. My left leg was six inches shorter than my right one and both of my legs were missing weight-bearing bones. Last but not least, my knee floated in my C-shaped left leg. The medical term for one of the diagnosis is Tibia Hemimilla.
My Adoption
I was given up for adoption from birth because my birth defects were going to require lots of medical help. After living in 3 different orphanages, I was adopted by a wonderful American woman whom was a single parent and moved to New York. My birth defects ultimately required that I have both legs amputated; the left at age 9 and the right at age 14. I’ve also had multiple reconstructive surgeries to both of my hands. Soon after, my mother and I moved from Buffalo, New York to Louisville, Kentucky when I was 13.
Igniting A Passion For Competition
At age 13, I became interested in rowing after an impromptu introduction to the sport. When I was on the water, I began to feel a new sense of freedom and control that was taken from me so many times throughout my past. I found out quickly the more I pushed myself, the stronger, faster and more in control I became. My body responded to pain with ever-increasing strength and purpose. I pushed the water and it pushed back.
My Partner
I met my rowing partner, Rob Jones in 2011. Our boat felt right from the first time we practiced together. There was an instant connection in the way our rowing motions matched one another so naturally in just the first hour of rowing with each other. Our coach used to joke, “It was like we had been rowing together for years.” We trained like crazy, and in 2012 , we took home a Bronze medal in rowing at the London Paralympic games.
Beyond Rowing
The transition from Adaptive Rowing to skiing was easy because both sports target the same muscle groups. After 14 months of learning how to ski, I qualified for the 2014 U.S. Paralympic team in Sochi, Russia. I qualified for all three Nordic cross-country skiing events and all three biathlon events. Thanks to an amazing team of coaches and our wax tech’s to prepare me for the games, I was able to bring home a Silver and a Bronze Medal back home for USA.
A New Sense of Rush
In the summer, I transitioned to hand cycling for a few reasons. I had a back injury I was trying to get healed up, and I also thought it would help with my skiing. Skiing, unlike rowing, has many tactical elements. I didn't know how to race with tactics and I didn’t know how to choose the best lines. I was used to “putting my head down” and pulling as hard as I could for 1km. Hand cycling seemed like the best choice to help me maintain my fitness and teach me new racing tactics. And after trying it for the first time, I fell in love with the speeds I could reach that other sports couldn’t. I found a new sense of “rush.”
New Challenges
I love new challenges and pushing myself out of my comfort zone. I truly believe with the right amount of support, hard work, dedication and belief in one’s self, anyone can make anything happen and make their dreams come to reality.
Second Chances
Because I am so competitive and hate losing, I believe sports was always in my blood. I am so thankful I have been given a “second chance” in life through my amazing family and the opportunity to fulfill my passion and hunger for racing and competing.
Nordic Skiing
Oksana is a multiple medal-winning athlete and Paralympian in Nordic skiing, competing in the 1km sprint, 5km, 10km, and 12km events. Oksana's most recent accomplishments include double gold in women's cross-country middle distance and sprint at the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games. Also, she won silver and bronze at the games. At the 2018-2019 Para Nordic Skiing World Cup, she won the cross-country title in the women's sitting class. Oksana won silver at the Paralympic Games Sochi 2014 for 12km Nordic and bronze for 5km Nordic. In the 2021 World Championships, she won gold medals in long-distance cross-country, sprint cross-country, middle distance cross-country, cross country sprint, and long-distance cross-country. In the 2019 competition, she earned silver for road race and time trial. Oksana took home silver for cross-country middle-distance in 2015 and bronze for road race and cross-country sprint.
Nordic Cross CountryNordic Skiing
Oksana is a multiple medal-winning athlete and Paralympian in Nordic skiing, competing in the 1km sprint, 5km, 10km, and 12km events. Oksana's most recent accomplishments include double gold in women's cross-country middle distance and sprint at the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games. Also, she won silver and bronze at the games. At the 2018-2019 Para Nordic Skiing World Cup, she won the cross-country title in the women's sitting class. Oksana won silver at the Paralympic Games Sochi 2014 for 12km Nordic and bronze for 5km Nordic. In the 2021 World Championships, she won gold medals in long-distance cross-country, sprint cross-country, middle distance cross-country, cross country sprint, and long-distance cross-country. In the 2019 competition, she earned silver for road race and time trial. Oksana took home silver for cross-country middle-distance in 2015 and bronze for road race and cross-country sprint.
Cycling
Summer Olympic competition beginning in 2014 to relieve back strain from competitive rowing. The cycling sport requires similar muscular mechanics to Nordic Skiing. At the Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020, she won gold in time trial and road race. Oksana competed at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio where she placed 4th in the road race. Oksana began her cycling competition in 2014, winning two Bronze World Cup medals and a Bronze medal at the UCI Para-Cycling Worlds.
Cycling
Summer Olympic competition beginning in 2014 to relieve back strain from competitive rowing. The cycling sport requires similar muscular mechanics to Nordic Skiing. At the Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020, she won gold in time trial and road race. Oksana competed at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio where she placed 4th in the road race. Oksana began her cycling competition in 2014, winning two Bronze World Cup medals and a Bronze medal at the UCI Para-Cycling Worlds.
Rowing
As one half of the rowing team, “Team Bad Company,” Oksana has had the opportunity to travel and compete around the world. Oksana was named U.S. Rowing’s Female Athlete of the year in 2012, when she claimed a Bronze medal in London at the 2012 Paralympic Games, in Trunk and Arms Mixed Double Sculls with her partner Rob Jones. These were the first-ever U.S. medals in those events. Prior to qualifying, Oksana and Rob also won a Gold medal in the 2012 Samsung World Rowing Cup II.
Rowing
As one half of the rowing team, “Team Bad Company,” Oksana has had the opportunity to travel and compete around the world. Oksana was named U.S. Rowing’s Female Athlete of the year in 2012, when she claimed a Bronze medal in London at the 2012 Paralympic Games, in Trunk and Arms Mixed Double Sculls with her partner Rob Jones. These were the first-ever U.S. medals in those events. Prior to qualifying, Oksana and Rob also won a Gold medal in the 2012 Samsung World Rowing Cup II.
Nordic / Biathlon
Nordic Biathlon is a winter sport combining cross-country skiing and rifle shooting. Originally an exercise for Norwegian soldiers in training, it is a challenging sport that combines resilience, focus, and strength. Most recently Oksana earned silver in 2021 events for sprint biathlon, individual biathlon, and bronze medals for middle-distance biathlon and individual biathlon. In 2019 she won silver in biathlon sprint, and individual biathlon and took bronze in biathlon middle-distance, and individual biathlon. At the Paralympic Games PyeongChang 2018, Oksana earned silver for 6km and 12.5 km biathlon.
Nordic / Biathlon
Nordic Biathlon is a winter sport combining cross-country skiing and rifle shooting. Originally an exercise for Norwegian soldiers in training, it is a challenging sport that combines resilience, focus, and strength. Most recently Oksana earned silver in 2021 events for sprint biathlon, individual biathlon, and bronze medals for middle-distance biathlon and individual biathlon. In 2019 she won silver in biathlon sprint, and individual biathlon and took bronze in biathlon middle-distance, and individual biathlon. At the Paralympic Games PyeongChang 2018, Oksana earned silver for 6km and 12.5 km biathlon.
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