When Erin Jackson crossed the finish line to win gold in the 500 meters at the Beijing Winter Olympics four years ago, she understood the athletic significance immediately. It was her first Olympic medal. It had also been 28 years since an American woman last won that event.
What she didn’t know — not until days later — was that she had made history in another way. Jackson was the first Black woman from any country to win an individual gold medal in any sport at any Winter Olympics.
Erin Jackson competes in the women’s 1,000 meters during the U.S. Olympic long track speed skating Olympic team trials on Saturday January 3, 2026 at the Pettit National Ice Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
“I felt like, ‘How could that be?’” Jackson said in an interview with the Associated Press at the U.S. speedskating trials ahead of the Milan Cortina Games. “When you think about how many Winter Olympics we’ve had, I just thought it was really strange.”
Jackson, now 33, says she hopes her achievement is not a singular moment but the beginning of something larger. At these Games, she is the only Black athlete among the 21 skaters on the U.S. long-track and short-track speedskating teams — a reminder of how far winter sports still have to go.
“They’re not there yet,” Jackson said simply.
Her presence alone has already mattered. Fellow U.S. speedskater Brittany Bowe, a two-time Olympic bronze medalist, said Jackson has become a powerful point of visibility for young Black athletes watching at home.
“I can’t imagine being a younger kid watching the Olympic Games and never seeing somebody that looked like me,” Bowe said. “For her to be able to do that — and now be that face — it’s monumental.”
Nov 22, 2025; Calgary, Alberta, CANADA; Erin Jackson of USA takes the podium in the women’s 500m during the ISU Speedskating World Cup at Calgary Olympic Oval. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
Bowe’s connection to Jackson runs deep. At the Beijing trials, she famously gave up her own spot in the 500 meters after Jackson slipped, a gesture that helped keep Jackson’s Olympic dream alive. When an additional U.S. berth later opened, both women raced — and Jackson made the most of it, becoming the first Black woman to win a World Cup 500 and then Olympic gold.
At the time, history wasn’t on Jackson’s mind. “We didn’t even think about that,” said Ryan Shimabukuro, the U.S. Speedskating national team coach. “We were focused on one thing: skating the fastest race possible.”
Now, with another Olympics approaching, Jackson is thinking more deliberately about what her career can mean beyond medals. She’ll compete in both the 500 and 1,000 meters in Italy after winning both events at the trials — despite recovering from a torn left hamstring just weeks earlier.
“I just hope that I can help other people of color get involved in winter sports,” Jackson said. “It’s really important to see people like you achieving something, because then maybe that can inspire you to try the same things.”
Jackson’s own path into speedskating was unconventional. She grew up in Ocala, Florida, far from ice rinks, excelling as an inline skater before switching to ice just four months before qualifying for the 2018 Olympic team. That background has shaped how she thinks about access and opportunity.
“One of the biggest issues with winter sports is the barrier to entry,” she said. “They’re really expensive sports to get into. That limits the talent and the people who even get a chance.”
When her competitive career ends, Jackson plans to launch a foundation modeled after EDGE Outdoors, a Washington-based organization that provides scholarships for minority women in skiing and snowboarding. She has also worked with the Utah-based Sisters in Sports Foundation, which supports female athletes with disabilities.
“I just always want to be a good example,” Jackson said. “Or someone who other people can look to.”
For Erin Jackson, the gold medal was never meant to be the finish line. It was the opening lap.
