Athlete’s Journey from Small-Town Wisconsin to Olympic Stardom
Deedra Irwin, a name well-known in the world of biathlon, continues to capture attention as she gears up for the upcoming Olympics in Italy. Her journey from a small town in Wisconsin to international sports arenas highlights an inspiring story of dedication and triumph.
Irwin, who made history at the 2022 Olympics in China by securing the best-ever American finish in the biathlon with a seventh-place standing, is now a familiar face to sports journalists. However, when it comes to her hometown, Irwin finds herself juggling between the village of Pulaski and the more recognizable Green Bay. “When people don’t know Wisconsin, I say I grew up in Green Bay, because it’s where we went shopping, where church was, where everything was at,” she shared on WPR’s “Wisconsin Today.”
But long-time acquaintance Rick Robaidek knows her roots trace back to Angelica, Wisconsin, a small town with a population of 1,822. “She lives up on Hillside,” Robaidek stated. “My mother’s house is two doors down from her (mom’s).” In 2022, Robaidek proudly displayed a banner at his business, R Pool Services, proclaiming Angelica as “Deedra Irwin’s Home Town.”
Currently residing in Vermont, Irwin serves as a staff sergeant in the Vermont Army National Guard and is part of the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program. Yet, her connection to Wisconsin remains strong. “I have those loyal Angelica neighbor fans,” she acknowledged. “I have to give them a shout out. They’re the ones that had to endure watching me run around our 6-mile block every day of the summer.”
Irwin began her athletic career in track and field and only later, in high school, did she take up Nordic skiing to maintain her fitness. It wasn’t until she turned 25 that she ventured into the biathlon, a sport that combines Nordic skiing and target shooting. “You’re not just going out there and seeing who’s the fittest person on the day,” Irwin explained. “You’re also seeing who can be the most focused and precise shooter on the day too, which I think is why it’s such a unique and complicated sport.”
Jennifer Irwin, Deedra’s mom, recounts her daughter’s growing fame in both Angelica and Pulaski, recalling how motorists would slow down to catch a glimpse of their home post-2022 Olympics. “We’re a country block. We have 15, maybe 20 people who live on our road,” Jennifer noted. “Pretty much everyone on the road knows who she is, because when she’s home she roller-skis on the road.”
Deedra’s local celebrity status was further cemented when she participated in the 2022 Pulaski Polka Days parade, waving an Olympic flag from the back of a truck. “That was huge. You’re doing a sport in Europe — an obscure sport for us — and not understanding if people know who you are,” Jennifer said. “And then to see that response. And she went to all the local schools to talk to kids.”
While the COVID-19 pandemic prevented Deedra’s family from attending the 2022 Olympics, they plan to support her in person at the 2026 event in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. Jennifer began booking accommodations a year in advance, describing the process as “stressful.”
The sign that Robaidek displayed in 2022 eventually succumbed to the elements, but he’s planning on creating another to celebrate Deedra’s return to the Winter Olympics. “She’s a very nice person,” he remarked. “It’s just awesome that someone who lives next door to you is in the Olympics. What is that, one-in-a-billion odds?”
