Oksana Masters, Jake Adicoff and the U.S. Para Nordic ski team have a new home to help them chase medals.
The squad will now fall under the umbrella of U.S. Ski & Snowboard, the organization announced Tuesday in conjunction with the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee. The move continues the expansion of Para sports within the U.S. ski team. In 2023, the Paralympic Alpine ski and snowboard squads were added back under the purview of the organization.
The Para Nordic ski team — cross-country skiing and biathlon — brought home 10 gold medals from the Milan Cortina Paralympics last month, with Masters and Adicoff both winning four golds (they teamed up as part of a mixed relay victory). Masters now has 24 Paralympic medals across both the Summer and Winter Paralympics. The U.S. Para Nordic team has been under the management of the USOPC since 2014.
“It’s exciting to think about the future and the added visibility and resources that can come with it,” Masters said in a statement. "We’re proud of everything we’ve accomplished to date, and we’re motivated to carry that legacy forward as we begin a new chapter with U.S. Ski & Snowboard.”
The resources the Paralympic athletes will receive include access to the Center of Excellence in Park City, Utah, coaching, travel, sports science, dietitians, marketing support and career guidance.
“We look forward to working together to support their goals and continue building upon their success on the world stage,” said Sophie Goldschmidt, the president & CEO of U.S. Ski & Snowboard.
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AP Winter Paralympics: https://apnews.com/hub/paralympic-games
