Erin Jackson

{{Infobox speed skater

| name = Erin Jackson

| image =

| headercolor = #d7ecff

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1992|9|19}}

| birth_place = Ocala, Florida, U.S.

| event = 500 m, 1000 m

| club =

| coach = Renee Hildebrand

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry|the {{USA}}}}

}}

Erin Jackson (born September 19, 1992) is an American speed skater, roller derby player, and Olympic gold medalist. Jackson is the first Black woman to win a Winter Olympic gold medal in an individual sport.{{cite web |last=Schad |first=Tom |title=Speedskater Erin Jackson becomes first Black woman to win gold medal in individual event at Winter Games |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/beijing/2022/02/13/erin-jackson-wins-speedskating-500-meters-gold/6765151001/ |website=USA TODAY|date=February 13, 2022}} She qualified for The World Games 2017 in Wrocław, Poland, where she competed in inline speed skating in various distances on road and track. She also qualified to compete in the 500 meters long track speed skating event at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang.

On February 13, 2022, Jackson won the gold medal in the Women's 500m speed skating event at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. She is the first Black American woman to medal in speed skating.{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/nbcolympics/status/1492880948471476224|accessdate=February 13, 2022|title=History for @ErinJackson480. She is the first Black woman to medal in speed skating at the #WinterOlympics|author=NBC Olympics|website=Twitter}}

Early life and education

Erin Jackson was born on September 19, 1992 in Ocala, Florida, to Tracy and Rita Jackson. She has one brother.{{cite web |title=Erin Jackson Biography |url=https://www.teamusa.org/usa-roller-sports/athletes/Erin-Jackson-Roller-Sports |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210618221009/https://www.teamusa.org/usa-roller-sports/athletes/Erin-Jackson-Roller-Sports |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 18, 2021 |website=Team USA |accessdate=March 22, 2022}} Jackson first skated at eight years old when she tried figure skating.{{Cite news |url=http://www.nbcolympics.com/news/who-erin-jackson |title=Who is Erin Jackson? |work=NBC Olympics |accessdate=February 2, 2018 |archive-date=August 26, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180826231215/http://www.nbcolympics.com/news/who-erin-jackson |url-status=dead }} Jackson attended Shores Christian Academy, Howard Middle School, and Forest High School. She then went on to the University of Florida, where she graduated with honors from the Materials Science & Engineering program.{{Cite news |url=http://www.ocala.com/news/20180109/erin-jackson-is-busy-and-focused |title=Erin Jackson is busy and focused |last=Ross |first=Jim |date=January 9, 2018 |work=Ocala.com}}

Career

Jackson won gold in the 500-meter inline skating race at the 2008–09 Junior World Championships, gold in the same event at the 2014 Pan American Championships, and was named United States Olympic Committee Female Athlete of the Year for Roller Sports in 2012 and 2013. She also competes in roller derby with the Jacksonville RollerGirls of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA), earning the MVP award at the 2014 WFTDA Division 1 Playoff in Evansville, Indiana,{{cite web |title=Tournament MVPs - Women's Flat Track Derby Association |url=https://wftda.org/tournaments/2014/mvps |publisher=WFTDA |accessdate=January 10, 2018}} and advancing to WFTDA Championships in both 2015 and 2016.{{Cite news |url=http://www.espn.com/espnw/athletes-life/article/14042547/how-world-class-inline-skater-shaking-roller-derby-scene |title=How A World-Class Inline Skater Is Shaking Up The Roller Derby Scene |publisher=ESPN |accessdate=January 6, 2018 }}{{cite web |last1=Gardiner |first1=Kelley |title=WFTDA Champs: Day One Roller Derby Recap |url=https://www.portlandmercury.com/blogtown/2016/11/05/18677628/wftda-champs-day-one |website=The Portland Mercury |date=November 5, 2016}}

In 2016, Erin Jackson transitioned to speed skating on the ice. She qualified for the 2018 Winter Olympics with only four months of experience in speedskating on ice.{{Cite news |url=http://olympics.nbcsports.com/2018/01/05/erin-jackson-speed-skating-qualifies-olympics/ |title=Erin Jackson goes from Ocala Cannibals to U.S. Olympic team |date=January 6, 2018 |work=OlympicTalk}} Coached by Renee Hildebrand, Jackson qualified at the 500-meter distance, and finished 24th out of 31 competitors in Pyeongchang.{{cite news |last1=Janes |first1=Chelsea |title=In Erin Jackson, U.S. speedskating sees a bright glimpse into the future |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/olympics/in-erin-jackson-us-speedskating-sees-a-bright-glimpse-into-the-future/2018/02/18/23700f16-1476-11e8-9065-e55346f6de81_story.html |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=February 18, 2018}}

In November 2021, she won her first 500-meter Speedskating World Cup races in Poland with two track records, making her the first Black American woman to win in the World Cup.{{Cite news |url=https://www.isu.org/isu-news/news/130-wc-speed-skating-news/13777-jackson-flies-to-first-gold-as-isu-world-cup-speed-skating-starts?templateParam=15 |title=Jackson flies to first gold as ISU World Cup speed skating starts |work=ISU.org |accessdate=November 13, 2021}}{{Cite news |url=https://nos.nl/artikel/2405464-jackson-en-bowe-schitteren-in-polen-brons-nederland-op-ploegenachtervolging |title=Jackson and Bowe brilliant in Poland |work=NOS.nl |accessdate=November 13, 2021 |language=nl}}{{Cite web|first=Francesca |last=Gariano |title=Erin Jackson Becomes 1st Black American Woman to Win Speedskating World Cup|url=https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/sports/beijing-winter-olympics/erin-jackson-becomes-1st-black-american-woman-to-win-speedskating-world-cup/3047147/|accessdate=November 14, 2021|website=NBC10 Philadelphia|date=November 13, 2021 }}{{Cite web|date=November 12, 2021|title=Jackson becomes 1st Black American woman to win World Cup|url=https://apnews.com/article/sports-erin-jackson-nao-kodaira-skating-664af1747727ae510e1f5e396fae5217|website=AP News}}

Jackson won the gold medal in the women's 500-meter speed skating event at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China, besting the field by 0.08 seconds with a time of 37.04 seconds.{{Cite web|title=Erin Jackson wins first career Olympic gold medal in women's 500m |website=NBC Olympics|url=https://www.nbcolympics.com/news/erin-jackson-wins-first-career-olympic-gold-medal-womens-500m|accessdate=February 13, 2022}} She had nearly missed out on qualifying for the Olympics after slipping during the U.S. Trials in this event. Her teammate and longtime friend Brittany Bowe won the event but gave up her spot for Jackson to qualify. Jackson became the first Black woman to win a Winter Olympic gold in an individual sport. Jackson also is the first American woman to win an Olympic speed skating gold since Chris Witty in 1000m in 2002, and the first American woman to win the women's 500m since Bonnie Blair in 1994.{{Cite web|date=13 February 2022|url=https://olympics.com/en/news/beijing-speed-skating-women-500-erin-jackson|title=Erin Jackson's gold-medal story, co-written by Brittany Bowe, is "unbelievable"|author=Shintaro Kano|website=olympics.com|accessdate= February 15, 2022}}

In March 2023, Jackson completed at the 2023 World Single Distances Speed Skating Championships and won a silver medal in the team sprint.{{cite web|url=https://www.usspeedskating.org/news/2024/february/20/jordan-stolz-scores-a-historic-trio-of-world-titles-again |title=Jordan Stolz Scores A Historic Trio Of World Titles — Again |website=US Speedskating |date=February 20, 2024}}

She represented the United States at the 2024 Four Continents Speed Skating Championships and won a gold medal in the 500 meter and a silver medal in the team sprint.{{cite web|url=https://www.parkrecord.com/news/home-ice-advantage-dawson-jackson-dominate-in-speed-skating-championships/ |title=Home ice advantage? Dawson, Jackson dominate in speed skating championships |website=Park Record |date=January 21, 2024}} Later that year, she competed at the November 2024 2025 Four Continents Speed Skating Championships and won a gold medal in the 500 meter.{{cite web|url=https://www.ocala-news.com/2024/11/17/ocalas-erin-jackson-kicks-off-speed-skating-season-with-gold-medal/ |title=Ocala’s Erin Jackson kicks off speed skating season with gold medal |website=Ocala-News.com |date=November 17, 2024}}

World Cup overview

;Overall trophy

class="wikitable" style="display: inline-table;" ! Season ! 500 meter ! Points
style="text-align:center" \| 2021–2022	16px	660
style="text-align:center" \| 2022–2023	16px	241
style="text-align:center" \| 2023–2024	16px	522
style="text-align:center" \| 2024–2025	16px	524

;

class="wikitable" style="display: inline-table;" ! Season ! Location ! colspan="2"\|500 meter
style="text-align:center" \| rowspan=5\|2018–2019	align=left \| Obihiro, Japan	18th	18th
style="text-align:center" \| align=left \| Tomakomai, Japan	10th
style="text-align:center" \| align=left \| Tomaszów Mazowiecki, Poland	12th	14th
style="text-align:center" \| align=left \| Heerenveen, Netherlands	9th
style="text-align:center" \| align=left \|Hamar, Norway	16th	19th
style="text-align:center" \| 2019–2020	align=left \| Calgary, Canada	18th
style="text-align:center" \| rowspan=5\|2021–2022	align=left \| Tomaszów Mazowiecki, Poland	{{gold1}}	{{gold1}}
style="text-align:center" \| align=left \| Stavanger, Norway	{{gold1}}	{{silver2}}
style="text-align:center" \| align=left \| Salt Lake City, United States	{{gold1}}	6th
style="text-align:center" \| align=left \| Calgary, Canada	5th	{{bronze3}}
style="text-align:center" \| align=left \| Heerenveen, Netherlands	{{gold1}}	{{gold1}}
style="text-align:center" \| rowspan=4\|2022–2023	align=left \| Stavanger, Norway	8th
style="text-align:center" \| align=left \| Heerenveen, Netherlands	4th
style="text-align:center" \| align=left \| Calgary, Canada	6th	{{bronze3}}
style="text-align:center" \| align=left \| Tomaszów Mazowiecki, Poland	5th	6th
style="text-align:center" \| rowspan=6\|2023–2024	align=left \|Obihiro, Japan	{{silver2}}	4th
style="text-align:center" \| align=left \|Beijing, China	{{gold1}}	{{gold1}}
style="text-align:center" \| align=left \| Stavanger	{{silver2}}
style="text-align:center" \| align=left \| Tomaszów Mazowiecki, Poland	4th	{{gold1}}
style="text-align:center" \| align=left \| Salt Lake City, United States	{{gold1}}
style="text-align:center" \| align=left \|Quebec, Canada	5th	{{bronze3}}
style="text-align:center" \| rowspan=6\|2024–2025	align=left \| Nagano, Japan	9th	{{gold1}}
style="text-align:center" \| align=left \| Beijing, China	6th	4th
style="text-align:center" \| align=left \| Calgary, Canada	20th
style="text-align:center" \| align=left \| Milwaukee, United States	{{silver2}}	{{silver2}}
style="text-align:center" \| align=left \| Tomaszów Mazowiecki, Poland	{{gold1}}	{{gold1}}
style="text-align:center" \| align=left \| Heerenveen, Netherlands	{{bronze3}}	{{silver2}}

class="wikitable" style="display: inline-table;" ! Season ! Location ! colspan="2"\|1000 meter
style="text-align:center" \| rowspan=4\|2022–2023	align=left \| Stavanger, Norway	13th
style="text-align:center" \| align=left \| Heerenveen, Netherlands	16th
style="text-align:center" \| align=left \| Calgary, Canada	16th	13th
style="text-align:center" \| align=left \| Tomaszów Mazowiecki, Poland	17th
style="text-align:center" \| rowspan=4\|2023–2024	align=left \| Obihiro, Japan	20th
style="text-align:center" \| align=left \| Tomaszów Mazowiecki, Poland	11th
style="text-align:center" \| align=left \| Salt Lake City, United States	8th	16th
style="text-align:center" \| align=left \| Quebec, Canada	16th

class="wikitable" style="display: inline-table;" ! Season ! Location ! colspan="1"\|Team Sprint
style="text-align:center" \| 2018–2019	align=left rowspan=2\| Tomaszów Mazowiecki, Poland	9th
style="text-align:center" \| 2019–2020	6th
style="text-align:center" \| rowspan=3\|2022–2023	align=left \| Heerenveen, Netherlands	{{bronze3}}
style="text-align:center" \| align=left \| Calgary, Canada	{{gold1}}
style="text-align:center" \| align=left \| Tomaszów Mazowiecki, Poland	{{gold1}}
style="text-align:center" \| rowspan=2\|2023–2024	align=left \| Beijing, China	DQ
style="text-align:center" \| align=left \| Stavanger, Norway	{{gold1}}
style="text-align:center" \| 2024–2025	align=left \| Beijing, China	{{bronze3}}

Source:{{Cite web|url=https://www.speedskatingnews.info/skater/erin-jackson|title = Skater Profile - Erin Jackson (USA)|work=Speed Skating News|accessdate=November 28, 2024}}

Personal life

In 2023, she was a contestant on Special Forces: World's Toughest Test, season 2; she was the only woman to win.

Honors and awards

Sports Illustrated, Fittest 50: 2022 (#24){{cite magazine|url=https://www.si.com/.amp/edge/2022/01/17/fittest-50-2022 |title=Sports Illustrated's Fittest 50 2022|magazine=Sports Illustrated|date= January 17, 2022}}

References

External links

{{ISU speed skater|new_id=erin-jackson|old_id=850493}}
[https://www.usspeedskating.org/profiles/erin-jackson Erin Jackson] at U.S. Speedskating
{{Team USA|new_id=erin-jackson|old_id=JA/Erin-Jackson|archive=20140121141544}}
{{Olympics.com}}
{{Olympedia}}
{{Instagram}}

Category:1992 births

Category:Living people

Category:American female speed skaters

Category:Inline speed skaters

Category:Roller derby skaters

Category:Olympic gold medalists for the United States in speed skating

Category:Speed skaters at the 2018 Winter Olympics

Category:Speed skaters at the 2022 Winter Olympics

Category:Medalists at the 2022 Winter Olympics

Category:University of Florida alumni

Category:Sportspeople from Ocala, Florida

Category:Competitors at the 2017 World Games

Category:Roller speed skaters at the 2015 Pan American Games

Category:Roller speed skaters at the 2023 Pan American Games

Category:Medalists at the 2015 Pan American Games

Category:Medalists at the 2023 Pan American Games

Category:Pan American Games gold medalists for the United States in roller sports

Category:Pan American Games silver medalists for the United States in roller sports

Category:Pan American Games bronze medalists for the United States in roller sports

Category:World Single Distances Speed Skating Championships medalists

Category:21st-century African-American sportswomen

Category:21st-century American sportswomen

class="wikitable" style="display: inline-table;" ! Season ! Location ! colspan="2"\|1000 meter
style="text-align:center" \| rowspan=4\|2022–2023	align=left \| Stavanger, Norway	13th
style="text-align:center" \| align=left \| Heerenveen, Netherlands	16th
style="text-align:center" \| align=left \| Calgary, Canada	16th	13th
style="text-align:center" \| align=left \| Tomaszów Mazowiecki, Poland	17th
style="text-align:center" \| rowspan=4\|2023–2024	align=left \| Obihiro, Japan	20th
style="text-align:center" \| align=left \| Tomaszów Mazowiecki, Poland	11th
style="text-align:center" \| align=left \| Salt Lake City, United States	8th	16th
style="text-align:center" \| align=left \| Quebec, Canada	16th

class="wikitable" style="display: inline-table;" ! Season ! Location ! colspan="1"\|Team Sprint
style="text-align:center" \| 2018–2019	align=left rowspan=2\| Tomaszów Mazowiecki, Poland	9th
style="text-align:center" \| 2019–2020	6th
style="text-align:center" \| rowspan=3\|2022–2023	align=left \| Heerenveen, Netherlands	{{bronze3}}
style="text-align:center" \| align=left \| Calgary, Canada	{{gold1}}
style="text-align:center" \| align=left \| Tomaszów Mazowiecki, Poland	{{gold1}}
style="text-align:center" \| rowspan=2\|2023–2024	align=left \| Beijing, China	DQ
style="text-align:center" \| align=left \| Stavanger, Norway	{{gold1}}
style="text-align:center" \| 2024–2025	align=left \| Beijing, China	{{bronze3}}