(KOAA) — The countdown to the Winter Olympics is on, and one Fort Carson soldier is looking to do something the U.S. has yet to accomplish.
Staff Sgt. Deedra Irwin placed 7th in the Biathlon for the 2022 Beijing Games, it was the highest the U.S. has ever placed in the event, as it is the only Winter Olympic event the U.S. has never medaled in. The event combines Nordic skiing with precision rifle shooting.
Irwin is a remote soldier who lives in Jericho, Vermont, but is stationed at Fort Carson.
"At the last Olympics, I had one of those like breakthrough confidence-building races," Irwin told News 5. "So, me getting my seventh place out of nowhere really just showed the uniqueness of our sport and how on any day it can be anyone's race."
Irwin enlisted in the Vermont Army National Guard in 2019 as a Human Resources Specialist and member of the World Class Athlete Program (WCAP), which allows her to not only pursue a military career, but also have access to the elite coaching, resources, and benefits of Army service.
"Going into this next Olympics, I'm super excited to hopefully be that athlete that gets that podium," Irwin said. "But if not, I'm super confident in my teammates. We've all been working so hard."
The Winter Olympics are scheduled to start Feb. 6 in Milan.
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