Oxana Masters was born in Ukraine in 1989 with multiple birth defects caused by the Chernobyl nuclear disaster abandoned by her birth parents she grew up in orphanages until American college professor gay Masters adopted her growing up in Louisville Kentucky Masters began adaptive rowing at 13 around the same time of her second leg amputation she won bronze in rowing at the 2012 par Olympics in London but had to give up this sport after a back injury so EXA took up CrossCountry skiing and has since become team te USA's most decorated winter paralympian in history Masters also returned to the summer games as a cyclist and won two golds in Tokyo her medal total is 17 across the summer and winter games Master's boyfriend is Aaron Pike also a summer and winter par Olympic star in wheelchair racing in biathlon and CrossCountry skiing