Day one of U.S. Paralympics Cycling Open in Huntsville

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WAFF) - When life gives you lemons, sometimes you can make more than lemonade. For the Athletes competing in the U.S. Paralympics Cycling Open they would be the perfect people to show you how. But first.. What exactly is the Paralympics? And shine is exactly what they did. Whether it was Handcycling, Tricycling, or Tandem Cycling no one took for granted a chance to be back on a course.

Oksana Masters is arguably one of the most popular athletes out here today and she says it doesn’t matter what you look like if you have a body you can be an athlete. “I have been very lucky/ fortunate to have won the women’s H5 time trial category. For me I’m not chasing the result it just means so much to stand with my teammate,” said Masters.

Masters has won medals in world cups, world championships, and the Paralympics; winning two medals in 2014 and five in 2018, including two gold.

She was born in Ukraine three years after a nuclear disaster causing her to have no thumbs, six toes on both feet, and one leg shorter than the other. Masters earned a spot on the 2016 U.S. Summer Paralympics Team. “Paracycling especially in my category in the handcycling, just because we don’t use our lower half we are able to deal with our arms instead,” said Masters.

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