NMRS Profile on Speed Skater Erin Jackson
In celebrating Black History Month we want to recognize someone who is currently making history, Erin Jackson. This month, Jackson is competing in the 2022 Olympic games taking place in Beijing, China, where she will compete for Team USA in the speed skating 500 meter race event.
After slipping during the finals and failing one placement short of qualifying for Beijing her fellow teammate Brittany Bowe relinquished her spot in the 500 meter race so Jackson could compete (Yahoo Sports). Jackson is aiming for the gold medal at the 2022 Beijing Olympics with her new opportunity. In 2018, with only four months of experience on ice she also competed in the 500 meter race (Team USA).
Jackson is an accomplished inline and roller derby skater, she picked up ice just five years ago. Prior to her career in ice speed skating she was a Junior World Champion in 2008-09 for the 500 meter inline skating race. Jackson took gold in the same event during the 2014 Pan American Championships, and was named the United States Olympic Committee Female Athlete of the Year for Roller Sports in 2012 and 2013 (Team USA).
Jackson started roller sports in 2002 where she competed in speed skating. Pictured above is Jackson and her winning relay team after winning the Freshmen Girls 4 2000 meter relay event at the 2006 National Championships by USA Roller Sports (Photo from NMRS Archive). Below you can see her compete in that championship (Video from NMRS Archive). In 2012 she began competing in roller derby as well (Derby United). She graduated with a BS in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Florida and earned an AS in Computer Science from Salt Lake Community College (Sports Illustrated).
Sources:
Apstein, Stephanie. “Erin Jackson Is Ready to Make a Statement on Ice.” Sports Illustrated. Sports Illustrated, January 18, 2022. https://www.si.com/olympics/2022/01/18/erin-jackson-beijing-2022-olympics-speedskating-daily-cover.
“Erin Jackson.” Team USA. Accessed February 4, 2022. https://www.teamusa.org/us-speedskating/athletes/Erin-Jackson-Speed-Skating.
Ringer, Isabelle. “Jantastic Player Spotlight: My Little Ponies // Erin Jackson.” Derby United, January 13, 2016. https://derbyunited.com/2016-jantastic-spotlight-erin-jackson.
“Top-Ranked Speed Skater Erin Jackson Back in Olympics after Teammate Gives up Qualification Spot.” Yahoo! Sports. Yahoo! Accessed February 4, 2022. https://sports.yahoo.com/top-ranked-speed-skater-erin-jackson-olympics-brittany-bowe-225312576.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAHTQ40hLxGH2AN0FG_axCPHhfHV0s8woyRNZu_fQKyE-FdwXwxmZxyZIzViMEpTcn47XSq_0uRu1lzhhspORyFcyF-DtNtn5Ch9DvRKd8RtH9eEfRSvp8V05pDiRFZtOHM5SQWdtTo1c862SdrG9gw551WvP9j3U4xz9MgJRXshz.
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