Staff Sgt. Deedra Irwin, a Soldier-athlete in the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program (WCAP), conducts a nationwide media tour in conjunction with D S Simon Media to discuss how she is preparing for her second Olympic appearance with Team USA, as she serves her country in more ways than one.
NEW YORK, Oct. 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- With roughly 100 days until the start of the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics, the nation’s top competitors are aiming to secure their spot on Team USA—including the Soldier-athletes of the U.S. Army’s World Class Athlete Program (WCAP), who are putting their elite training to the test with hopes of representing the United States on the world stage.
One of these hopefuls is Staff Sgt. Deedra Irwin, who is looking to make her return to the Olympic stage in Biathlon, a sport that combines Nordic skiing with precision rifle shooting, following her historic 7th place finish at the 2022 Beijing Games—the highest ever placement for an American athlete in this Olympic event.
As a former collegiate track runner, Irwin had no intention of becoming a record-breaking biathlete, skiing only during the off-season for track to maintain her endurance; however, after graduating from Michigan Technological University, she was introduced to Biathlon in 2017 and quickly excelled in the competition through her speed, endurance, and accuracy.
Wanting to continue competing at an international level, Irwin enlisted in the Vermont Army National Guard in 2019 as a Human Resources Specialist and member of 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. She now has her eyes set on the Winter Olympics with the goal of earning the United States’ first medal in the sport.
On October 23rd, Staff Sgt. Irwin conducted a nationwide media tour in conjunction with D S Simon Media to speak about her pursuit of the 2026 Winter Olympics, and how the U.S. Army is helping her get there. The elite Soldier-athletes of WCAP represent not only the United States, but also the Army, and this distinctive position provides access to:
- World-class coaching & training: Through force-wide initiatives like the Army’s Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F) system, Soldier-athletes receive expert coaching and comprehensive care for their physical, nutritional, mental, sleep, and spiritual health.
- Built-in community: While many winter sports are individual pursuits, the Army offers a strong sense of teamwork and support, helping Soldier-athletes reach their highest potential.
- Lifelong possibilities: Soldier-athletes are Soldiers first, and many choose to continue their call to serve once their competition days are over in one of the Army’s 250+ careers.
For more information, visit GoArmy.com.
About YourUpdateTV:
YourUpdateTV is a property of D S Simon Media. The video included and release was part of a media tour that was produced by D S Simon Media on behalf of U.S. Army
Media Contact:
Michael O’Donnell
D S Simon Media
212-736-2727
modonnell@dssimon.com
A video accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/fe46c653-1846-4e98-8d1a-ea9ad14bf9bd
