IRVINE, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 12: Erin Jackson of Team United States poses for a portrait during the Team USA Beijing 2022 Olympic shoot on September 12, 2021 in Irvine, California. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images for Team USA)
Congrats are in order to Erin Jackson who just made history at the Winter Olympics in Beijing.
The 29-year-old became the first black woman to win a medal in speedskating at the Winter Olympics. According to NBC News, Erin’s gold medal win in the women’s 500- meter speed skating race, is an event Team USA has not won since 1994. She finished her final lap in 37.04 seconds.
Erin, who was originally a rollerblader, made her debut in the Olympics four years ago in Pyeongchang after switching to ice skating the year before. She became the first black woman to make it on to Team USA as a speed skater.
Last month, during Erin’s Olympic trials, she reportedly made a mistake and her spot on the team was not guaranteed. However, her friend and fellow skater, Brittany Bowe, offered her spot to Erin and called it the right thing to do. “There’s not a doubt in my mind that she wouldn’t do the same thing for me,” said Brittany.
At the time, Erin expressed her appreciation and said, “Just for her to do something like this for me, it’s amazing. I’m just incredibly grateful. I’m really humbled, and she’s just an amazing person.”
According to CNN, Erin said after her big win, “I cried immediately, it was just a big release of emotion. A lot of shock, a lot of relief, and a lot of happiness. I haven’t fully processed everything quite yet, but it just feels amazing. had a little misstep on the backstretch, but I just tried to, I wouldn’t say recover, because it wasn’t anything big, but just tried to continue skating.”
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TSR STAFF: Jade Ashley @Jade_Ashley94
