PULASKI, Wis., (NBC 26) A Pulaski native is on a journey to the Olympic stage in Beijing. 29-year-old Deedra Irwin is competing in the Biathlon Olympic Trials this weekend which will determine if she will compete for Team USA at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.
Earlier this week, Irwin joined me on a Zoom call from Osrblie, Slovakia where she was preparing for the trials.
"Coming from a small farming community and making it to pretty much world travel. Like, it's the coolest job ever," says Irwin talking about her small-town roots of Pulaski to her now a globe-trotting lifestyle as Biathlete forTeam USA.
The 29-year-old is a master of not one but two opposing sports.
"I just fell in love with it. It was such a unique challenge to add Nordic skiing, the entire riffle component, and the precision shooting part," Irwin says.
Just four years ago, Irwin started her Biathlon career and quickly made her name in the sport that combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting. But this 2010 graduate of Pulaski High School didn't start out as a Biathlete.
"At 16, I was looking for some way to stay in shape during the winter for my running career which I was more focused on, and I stumbled upon the Ashwaubenon Nordic ski team," says Irwin.
Irwin's former high school ski coach, Scott Putman says even at 16, Irwin immediately stood out.
"It's a hard sport and it didn't start automatically for her but the thing that sort of set her apart is her head. she was you know, into it enough, hard-headed enough about it that even though she was falling down all of the time she just pops back up and says, I'm ok," Putman says.
Irwin says Putman always gave her the support she needed to become a professional athlete and continues to be a mentor throughout her career.
"He would bring me back to the green bay area and make sure I kept my roots there with the high school ski team and really mentored them like he mentored me," she says.
"I have athletes who just idolize her and it was so much fun to work with her because she would come to practice and it was like, OK Deedra, make them better and she was just, go to work," Scott Putman adds.
Putman says it's that determination that will propel Irwin to her dream of representing her country on the Olympic stage.
Irwin says it's the voice of her father that keeps her grounded and will use his words to draw strength at the Olympic trails.
"One of the best quotes, when I'm kind of nervous voices I have in my head, is my dad just saying like, we only expect your best on that day. Whenever your best is on that day it's been nice because I've never been expected to be THE BEST but as long as I give everything I have on that day," says Irwin.
Irwin will compete in the Biathlon Olympic trials this weekend January, 7th, 8th, and 9th in Oberhof, Germany. Stay with NBC 26 for updates on Irwin's progress.
