Erin Jackson simply secured a gold medal on the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, making historical past on the similar time.
On February 13, the 29-year-old velocity skater turned the primary Black girl to medal in her sport on the Olympics. If that wasn’t monumental sufficient, the Group USA champion took the primary place spot within the ladies’s 500m with an unbelievable run time of 37.04, ending 0.08 seconds forward of silver-medalist Miho Takagi of Japan and 0.17 seconds sooner than Russia’s Angelina Golikova.
“Bear in mind the identify,” Group USA shared on Instagram. “@speedyj is the primary Black girl to win a person medal in speedskating on the #WinterOlympics.”
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Following the occasion, Jackson stated she was overwhelmed with emotion. “I cried instantly, it was only a massive launch of emotion. A variety of shock, quite a lot of aid, and quite a lot of happiness,” Jackson advised reporters, per CNN. “I have never totally processed every little thing fairly but, but it surely simply feels wonderful.”
She continued, “I had slightly misstep on the backstretch, however I simply tried to, I would not say get well, as a result of it wasn’t something massive, however simply tried to proceed skating.”
In line with CNN, Jackson virtually did not make it to Beijing this yr after coming in third on the US trials in January. Whereas solely the highest two are assured a spot on the Olympic group, fellow Group USA velocity skater Brittany Bowe provided up her spot to Jackson after coming in first. (Later, Group USA gained a 3rd qualifier within the 500m and Bowe was capable of compete. She got here in sixteenth.)
“Proper after the race, I knew that if it got here right down to me relinquishing my spot for her to be named on the group, I might try this as a result of she deserves it,” Bowe advised reporters final week. “She has earned the appropriate to compete in her marquee occasion on the Olympics, and it was an honor to present her that spot for the chance to race for gold for Group USA.”
Supply: Glamour