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Deedra Irwin secured the best American finish in the biathlon in OIympic history earlier this month, and she says her time at Michigan Tech as a varsity cross country runner, Nordic skier, and track and field athlete positioned her well for success at the world’s preeminent competition level.
Irwin notched a seventh-place finish in her first race in Beijing, the 15 kilometer individual. She also competed in the sprint, pursuit, relay, and mass start competitions.
Biathlon combines Nordic skiing with rifle marksmanship. Irwin did not take up the sport until after she graduated from Tech, going to a training camp in Lake Placid, New York. It was a familiar spot for the former Husky and Pulaski, Wisconsin native. She was recruited to college as a runner, not a skier.
Irwin says race preparations begin the day before and much of her routine scouting the course and selecting the proper skis was developed in Houghton. She likes to have fun, gaining notoriety during the games for saying a pre-race meal bowl of cake helped power her to her historic result. Donuts are another favorite.
