(NEXSTAR) — Sydney Peterson secured gold in the women’s 10km IS classic standing and silver in Para Nordic women's classic standing at the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games. And there's still three more races to go. Peterson grew up in Lake Elmo, Minnesota as a high school four-sport athlete, participating in Nordic skiing, swimming, cross-country and track. At 13, Peterson began experiencing symptoms of reflex sympathetic dystrophy and dystonia in her left arm — neurological disorders that caused involuntary muscle contractions and chronic pain. Over time, the dystonia progressed, affecting the mobility in both her left arm and leg. Nevertheless, Peterson continued her athletic pursuits, which led her to compete in the 2022 Winter Paralympics in Beijing. There, Peterson earned a silver and bronze. Her latest win is her first solo gold medal. Off the snow, Peterson graduated from St. Lawrence University in 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience and is now pursuing a PhD in neuroscience at the University of Utah, balancing her research with her training. "I think they really go hand in hand," Peterson told Nexstar. "They compliment each other quite nicely because I'm able to go outside and get my energy out and get my mind off things in the morning. Then, when I come into lab, I'm more focused, which is really nice."