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" My mom literally saved my life. I wasn't supposed to make it out of the orphanage. "

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" I absolutely fell in love with being on the water and the peace and freedom that you get being on the water in a single boat. "

" When I ski, I take both of my legs off and get into a sit ski: a ski with a custom seat that has been molded for me. I use my core and arms to propel myself on snow with help from ski poles. "

" I like to keep my hair and makeup routines easy and simple on race days. "

" The mind is really powerful. "

" You don't get any second chances. "

" I'm stubborn; once I start something, I want to see how far I can go. "

" Growing up in a very poor orphanage in Ukraine, there wasn't much food. "

" I was missing the main weight-bearing bone in both legs. And the left leg, I didn't have a full knee. It was a floating knee. I had six toes. My hands were webbed, and I also have one kidney. I don't have a full bicep on my right side. Thank God my hair didn't get ruined. "

" I didn't find out about the Paralympics until I was 18 years old. Once I found out what the Paralympics were, I was so excited to know I had a chance to represent my country and wear Team U.S.A. on my back. "

" It's insane going from skiing to cycling. Even though you are in prime shape, you feel like you have never worked out a day in your life. "

" It was honestly like 'Annie.' One day I was alone in a cold, dark Eastern European orphanage, and then the next day I was in an enchanted, mystical land known as Walmart. "

" I think it is very unfortunate that there is a ban on adoptions in Russia. "

" I don't know why, but I love sunflowers, and I just have this vivid memory of being in a field of sunflowers and how they felt like trees. They felt so tall. "

" I remember seeing the Olympics when I was 13. I always wanted to know how it felt to stand on top of the podium hearing your country's anthem while watching your flag being raised in something you poured your heart and soul into. "

" I never in a million years thought I would be able to be a Paralympic athlete. "

" I am so proud to be Ukrainian, and I'm also so proud to be an American. "

" I'm a coffee lover. "

" In 2012, I was invited to a ski event called the Hartford Ski Spectacular to learn how to sit-ski for the first time. I loved it, but it was not pretty - I was not good. I didn't know how to stop, so I kept throwing myself on the ground. "

" It's extremely important for my sit ski to be perfectly fit to me. If it's too big, and I shift around, the energy and strength I put into propelling myself forward will be lost. The right fit is everything in my sport. "

" That's what I'm focused on, having that perfect race. "

" I've gotten a lot of people saying. 'That is awesome. You're so brave.' I hate when people say brave. I'm not brave. I'm just living my life. Why is that brave? "

" In 2013, I had the chance to try cross-country skiing on snow and just fell in love with being in nature and how hard it was to pick up the sport. And the snow is sparkly. "

" Time trialing is one of those things that you've got to train for... Being a new rider, it's still really hard for me to know what's the most efficient gear for me to be in. The road race is probably more exciting, in my opinion, because it's a lot faster pace, and people are constantly attacking. "

" I was born with legs, but they were so deformed. "

" It's weird to not know what a family is. Not know what a mother's love is. And not really know what a hug is or anything. "

" I was a super active kid, so I've always been aware of where my body is in space, and I think when I had my legs amputated, it makes you more aware of your body, and because I don't use my legs, I use more of my hands. "

" I wear my prosthetics legs every day, and when I train in the gym, I call them my Lamborghini, because both legs and sockets, which extend up to my hips to keep the legs on via a suction seal, cost about $305,815. "

" I was supposed to be adopted when I was five, but then my adoption was pushed back by two years. "

" My hair is super fine, so I love using Batiste Dry Shampoo to give it volume after I shower and dry my hair. It also gives me extra body and texture for when I choose to wear my hair in a French braid. "

" It's hard to understand the athlete's lifestyle. You literally eat, sleep, train. You go to training camps in the winter where there is no Internet, you can't make phone calls. "