Main content
Oksana Masters
How sport helped a multi-talented Paralympian come to terms with her traumatic past.
Abandoned by her birth parents, Oksana Masters had birth defects caused by radiation, most likely from Chernobyl. Trapped and struggling to survive inside an abusive orphanage system in Ukraine, at the age of eight she was adopted by an American single mother.
Oksana tells us how she used the trauma of her youth to push herself to sporting greatness, including winning medals at the winter and summer Paralympics. Harnessing the anger and drawing on massive reserves of determination, this is a remarkable story of coming to terms with trauma and refusing to let it define you.
Last on
Sat 19 Jun 202101:32GMT
BBC World Service East Asia
More episodes
Previous
Broadcasts
- Wed 16 Jun 202103:32GMTBBC World Service except Australasia, East Asia & South Asia
- Wed 16 Jun 202104:32GMTBBC World Service Australasia, South Asia & East Asia only
- Wed 16 Jun 202110:32GMTBBC World Service
- Wed 16 Jun 202121:32GMTBBC World Service except Europe and the Middle East
- Wed 16 Jun 202122:32GMTBBC World Service Europe and the Middle East
- Sat 19 Jun 202101:32GMTBBC World Service East Asia
Podcast
![]()
On the Podium
The stories behind the medals. Find out what it takes to get to the Games

