Deedra Irwin will return to the Olympic stage in 2026. The American biathlete has been confirmed as one of the first qualifiers for the U.S. Olympic biathlon team for the Milano-Cortina Winter Games.

The decision was made through objective selection criteria by the U.S. Biathlon International Competition Committee (ICC), marking Irwin’s second Olympic qualification after making her Games debut in Beijing in 2022.

At 33, Irwin is one of the most experienced athletes currently in the U.S. biathlon program. Her international résumé includes four World Championship appearances and seven seasons competing on the IBU World Cup circuit, experience that will be central as the team builds toward the Olympic peak in February 2026.

“Deedra brings a large amount of experience to the team,” said U.S. Biathlon High Performance Director Lowell Bailey in a press release. “She’s been on the world stage for a long time, and it’s familiar territory for her. She will undoubtedly bring this experience with her to the Olympics, and we are sure to see her at her best come February!”

Irwin’s Olympic record already stands out in U.S. biathlon history. At the Beijing 2022 Winter Games, she finished seventh in the women’s individual, the best Olympic result ever achieved by an American biathlete. Across the Games, she also competed in the sprint, pursuit, and mass start and helped the U.S. women’s relay team to an 11th-place finish.

Reflecting on her selection for Milano-Cortina, Irwin underlined both the personal and sporting significance of returning to the Olympics.

“I am so excited to represent Team USA at the Olympics for a second time,” Irwin said. “This Olympics I’ll be able to share with my family and friends, too! They are all so excited to come to Italy, eat some pasta, drink some Aperol Spritz, and cheer me on! It’s an honor and privilege to represent my team, the U.S. Army, and all the communities that supported me along this journey.”

Irwin is one of four athletes already named to the 2026 Olympic biathlon team, alongside Campbell Wright, Maxime Germain, and Margie Freed, with the remaining four Olympic spots to be decided following U.S. biathlon’s time trials on January 6, 2026.

Read More: Four U.S. biathletes confirmed for the Winter Olympics 2026 

Winter Olympic Games

Biathlon schedule – Milano-Cortina 2026

• Feb 8 – 14:05 CET: Mixed Relay 4×6 km
• Feb 10 – 13:30 CET: 20 km Individual, men
• Feb 11 – 14:15 CET: 15 km Individual, women
• Feb 13 – 14:00 CET: 10 km Sprint, men
• Feb 14 – 14:00 CET: 7.5 km Sprint, women
• Feb 15 – 11:15 CET: 12.5 km Pursuit, men & 14:45 CET: 10 km Pursuit, women
• Feb 17 – 14:30 CET: Men’s 4×7.5 km Relay
• Feb 18 – 14:45 CET: Women’s 4×6 km Relay
• Feb 20 – 14:15 CET: 15 km Mass Start, men
• Feb 21 – 14:15 CET: 12.5 km Mass Start, women

Complete program for the Winter Olympic Games can be found HERE

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