<Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Updated on March 09, 2014 . </Td> </Tr> <P> Oksana Masters (born June 19, 1989) is a Ukrainian - born American Paralympic rower and cross-country skier from Louisville, Kentucky . At the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London, she won the first ever United States medal in trunk and arms mixed double sculls . She was named to the U.S. Nordic skiing team for the 2014 Winter Paralympics . </P> <P> Oksana was born with several radiation - induced birth defects, including tibial hemimelia (resulting in different leg lengths), missing weight - bearing shinbones in her calves, webbed fingers with no thumbs, and six toes on each foot . She was abandoned by her birth parents at a Ukrainian orphanage where she lived until age 7 . After she turned 7, Oksana was adopted by Gay Masters, an unmarried American speech therapy professor with no children of her own . </P> <P> After moving to the United States in 1997, both of Oksana's legs were eventually amputated above the knee--her left leg at age eight and her right leg at age 13--as they became increasingly painful and unable to support her weight . Oksana also had surgery to modify her innermost fingers on each hand so they could function as thumbs . </P>

Team toyota paralympian holds three paralympic medals in rowing and nordic ski events