Oksana Masters wins second gold of Paris 2024 in women’s road race H5
Oksana Masters has won her second gold of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, emerging victorious in the women’s road race H5 on Thursday (5 September).
The American came out on top in a tight race through the French capital to clinch her 19th Paralympic medal with a stellar time of 1:52:14.
Sun Bianbian of the People’s Republic of China also claimed her second medal of the Games, with a time of 1:51:25 earning her silver.
The bronze medal went to Ana Maria Vitelaru of Italy who finished the 56.8km race in 1:52:27, just 13 seconds between the podium finishers.
The wet Parisian roads made for tricky conditions as the Netherlands’ Chantal Haenen, race leader and silver medallist in the individual time trial H4-5, crashed out on the second lap.
Masters was never far off the pace, making up a four-strong pack in the final lap before pulling away in the last few kilometres to add another Paralympic medal to her astounding tally.
The 35-year-old has now won 19 medals across three sports in para cycling, para rowing and para Nordic skiing at the Winter Paralympic Games.
She will have the chance to win a historic 20th Paralympic medal in her final event of Paris 2024 on Saturday (7 September), in the mixed team relay H1-5 on the penultimate day of the Games.
USA's Oksana Masters has won her 19th Paralympic medal with gold in the para cycling road women's road race H5.
Masters was born in Ukraine, where the Chernobyl nuclear disaster left her with impairments as she was orphaned before moving to the United States.
She plans to donate part of her prize money to charitable causes, as she did at Beijing 2022 where she made a contribution to Global Giving's "No Child Forgotten" project to aid children whose lives have been affected by the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Paris 2024 Paralympics: Women’s road race H5, 5 September 2024 - results
Gold - Oksana Masters (USA) - 1:52:14
Silver - Sun Bianbian (People's Republic of China) - 1:51:25
Bronze - Ana Maria Vitelaru (Italy) - 1:52:27