Coach Appreciation Month | Iryna Dvoskina

Behind Australia’s success in the world of Para sprinting is the mastermind that is Iryna Dvoskina -  the esteemed Ukranian-born coach who is renowned for her incredible success.

Following the footsteps of her mother, Fira who was also an accomplished coach at the Olympic level, Dvoskina studied furiously in order to establish her methods and coaching principles. 

Since then, Dvoskina has forged an illustrious career at the Australian Institute of Sport leading Australia’s elite to near inevitable success at major championships. In fact, she has coached 9 athletes to win a total of 29 Paralympic medals,  and has assisted a further two athletes to world championship glory. 

Today, her star-studded squad of five includes five-time Paralympic gold medallist Evan O’Hanlon, Rio 2016 gold medallists Scott Reardon, Vanessa Low and James Turner, as well as Paralympic bronze medallist Chad Perris. 

Those  under Dvoskina’s tuition attest to her success in not only creating great athletes, but great people, saying that her ability to mentor them on and off the track makes her more than a coach. 

Paralympic gold medallist and five-time world champion James Turner speaks of the perfection his coach strives for. 

“Her coaching and guidance have made me into a better athlete than I thought I could be,” he said. 

“Iryna has taught me that there’s always a bit more performance in you if you know where to look.”  

When Dvoksina first began coaching leading 100m T13 sprinter Chad Perris, she predicted he would run a startling 10.84 to win a medal at his first Paralympic Games. When he stopped the clock at 10.83, he said her accuracy was no surprise. 

“It didn’t surprise me at all, Iryna knows athletics and sprinting so well along with knowing my body and how I move well enough to be able to predict the time,” he said.  

“Every day I learn something new and the longer we work together the more I realise how much knowledge she has both from constant study of athletics and her coaching and her experience as a high performance coach.” 

This is backed up by fellow Paralympic gold medallist in long jump T61 Vanessa Low, who says Dvoskina’s capacity to focus on the positives is empowering. 

“Iryna is an ocean of knowledge and I’m very grateful for the opportunity to learn more every single day, skills that will not only help me as an athlete but in life,” he said.  

“She is a coach that sees Para-athletes as athletes with different abilities rather than inabilities and that’s what makes her so successful as a Para coach,” she said. 

Turner says that behind all the hard training sessions is nothing but genuine love. 

“Iryna cares for us like we are her own children. If we aren’t getting what we need to train or perform at our best she will be right in there to bat for us,” he said.

“She is our biggest advocate and supporter. I don’t think there’s an end to what lengths Iryna will go to for her athletes.” 

Dvoskina’s history suggests a haul of medals awaits Australia at the 2021 Paralympic Games in Tokyo, with her squad tracking well to take on the world’s best. 

By Lachlan Moorhouse

Posted: 30/12/2020