Sydney Peterson (born February 17, 2002) is an American para cross-country skier.
Career
Peterson began skiing at the age of 5. She skied for Stillwater Area High School in Minnesota.
Peterson won the silver medal in the women's 10km standing cross-country skiing event and the woman's standing cross country sprint event at the 2021 World Para Snow Sports Championships held in Lillehammer, Norway. She also won the bronze medal in the women's long-distance standing cross-country skiing event.
Peterson competed at the 2022 Winter Paralympics and created history in her first Paralympic appearance after claiming a silver medal in the women's 15km classic standing event. In doing so she became the first standing American female to earn a medal. In addition to her silver medal achievement, Peterson also clinched bronze in the skate sprint and gold in the team mixed relay.
In the 2023 season, Peterson earned two bronze medals, in the Skate sprint and Skate 10km, in the FIS 2023 Para Nordic World Championships in Östersund Sweden. At the championships, Peterson raced her debut race in biathlon earning 4th.
Additionally, Peterson skis on the Division 1 NCAA ski team at St. Lawrence University, where she attends, studying neuroscience.