Forever Piksana
Oksana Masters is the most decorated Winter Paralympian athlete in Team USA’s history and Aaron Pike is an eight-time Paralympic athlete in multiple sports. Together, they are another athlete couple who will enjoy their romance in the City of Love while competing in this year’s Paris Paralympics.
Oksana Masters was born in Ukraine with several birth defects from radiation, which eventually led to the amputation of both her legs. However, life’s adversities did not stop her from finding herself. Instead, they were the catalyst for her to find new ways to keep moving forward, eventually leading to her becoming a multi-sport athlete. As she describes it, “Sports have made me see how the body — my body — has a power that should never be underestimated.”
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Her professional success wasn’t the only thing that she found in sports, as she also met her person through them. Oksana and fianceé Aaron Pike met cross-country skiing and have been together since 2014. The athletes have found success in several disciplines, which has allowed them to attend every edition of the Paralympic games in the last 12 years (2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022) - an achievement few people have managed to make. They have now qualified for Paris 2024, continuing to prove they are a power couple in every sense.
Masters has competed in Rowing, Cross-Country Skiing, and Cycling, accumulating 17 medals across all disciplines. Pike has competed in both Nordic skiing and track and field. While he hasn’t gotten any medals yet, he has succeeded in the racing world as well, most recently getting second place in the 2022 Boston Marathon and securing a spot in Paris during the 2023 New York City Marathon.
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While their connection began with sports, it goes deeper than their athletic success, as they describe each other as their “best friend and soulmate”. They have been supporting each other throughout their careers, motivating one another, and helping them grow both personally and athletically. "When I met Aaron, my racing career just elevated, and I became better as an athlete and a person," described Oksana when talking about their relationship.
This summer, Oksana will compete in para-cycling and Aaron will be in wheelchair racing. It will be an exciting moment for the couple since they’ll be able to finally cheer on each other in a summer competition after missing out on the chance during Tokyo 2020 due to COVID restrictions. “I’m so excited to have a chance to actually see him at the [Summer] Games. At Tokyo we were separated, so I’m excited to watch him in the marathon and track events with my family.”
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Whether or not they achieve success during these upcoming Games, the adorable pair have undoubtedly found the true gold in each other, being a true example of resilience and success while also finding the ideal person to share it with.