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News | Feb. 3, 2022

Schedule released for Vermont National Guard Olympic biathletes

By Don Branum Vermont National Guard Public Affairs

Vermont National Guard Olympic biathletes will compete in televised events Feb. 5-16, with possibilities to compete on Feb. 18 and 19, National Guard Biathlon training officials announced Feb. 3.

Most events will be televised live in the early morning hours on NBC Sports and on www.peacocktv.com, with rebroadcast on USA Network later in the day.

Vermont National Guard biathletes were named Jan. 11. Spc. Deedra Irwin will make her Olympic debut on the U.S. Women’s Biathlon Team. Spcs. Sean Doherty and Leif Nordgren will compete on the U.S. Men’s Biathlon Team, with Spc. Vaclav Cervenka available as an alternate.

“I couldn’t be more proud. I know all of the hard work and dedication our athletes and coaches put in every day,” said Maj. Kevin Elmer, the National Guard Biathlon coordinator. “Now they will get to represent their country at the pinnacle of athletic competition.”

Irwin called her selection to the U.S. Women’s Biathlon Team surreal.

“You dream about something and chase it with everything you’ve got,” she said. “Now, to be able to compete in the Olympics ... I am just so honored, and I can’t wait to compete in Beijing.”

The full schedule of televised events and Vermont National Guard biathletes is below. All times listed are in Eastern Standard Time.

Feb. 5: Irwin and Doherty are likely to appear on NBC Sports and Peacock at 4 a.m. and on USA Network at noon. The full list of competitors will be announced Feb. 4.

Feb. 7: Irwin will compete in the women’s individual 15k at 4 a.m. on NBC Sports/Peacock and at 9:40 a.m. on USA Network.

Feb. 8: Doherty and Nordgren will compete in the men’s individual 20k at 3:30 a.m. on NBC Sports/Peacock and 4:35 a.m. on USA Network.

Feb. 11: Irwin will compete in the women’s 7.5k sprint at 4 a.m. on NBC Sports/Peacock, 11:30 a.m. on USA Network, and 11:35 p.m. on NBC Primetime.

Feb. 12: Doherty and Nordgren will compete in the men’s 10k sprint at 4 a.m. on NBC Sports/Peacock and on USA Network.

Feb. 13: If they place in the top 60 in their sprint races, Irwin, Doherty and Nordgren will compete in the women’s 10k and men’s 12.5k pursuits, respectively, at 4 a.m. on NBC Sports/Peacock. USA Network will carry the women’s 10k at 4 a.m. and the men’s 12.5k at 1:30 p.m.

Feb. 15: Doherty and Nordgren will compete, and Cervenka may compete, in the men’s 4x7.5k relay at 2:45 a.m. on NBC Sports/Peacock and at 11 a.m. on USA Network.

Finally, the men’s 15k mass start will be shown Feb. 18 at 4 a.m. on NBC Sports/Peacock and 7 p.m. on USA Network, and the women’s 12.5k mass start will be shown Feb. 19 at 4 a.m. on NBC Sports/Peacock and USA Network.

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