Where is Erin Jackson from?

Erin Jackson was born and raised in Ocala, Florida.

How old is Erin Jackson in 2026?

Jackson is 33 years old. She was born on Sept. 19, 1992.

When did Erin Jackson start speed skating?

Jackson first tried speed skating in February 2017, then began training in the sport full time in September.

Did Erin Jackson compete in inline skating before switching to ice?

Jackson competed in inline skating for 15 years before she switched to speed skating. She began inline skating at 10 years old.

As an inline skater, Jackson won 12 world championship medals and 47 national titles.

How did Erin Jackson qualify for the 2022 Beijing Olympics?

Going into the U.S. Olympic Trials for the Beijing Games, Jackson was the world’s top-ranked 500m sprinter in the women’s competition. However, a costly slip during Trials bumped her into third place, leaving her just out of reach for a spot on the Olympic roster.

Brittany Bowe, Jackson’s teammate and life-long friend, finished first in the race, earning an Olympic berth. Bowe, however, already had earned a chance to compete in the 1000m race in Beijing. Because of that — and because she believed Jackson had a better chance of winning gold in the 500m — Bowe gave up her spot on the roster to Jackson.

Did Erin Jackson win gold at the 2022 Beijing Olympics?

Jackson took home the gold medal in the women’s 500m at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, becoming the first Black American woman to win a medal in speed skating, the first Black woman to win an individual Winter Olympic gold, and the first American woman to win the 500m since Bonnie Blair in 1994.

What distance does Erin Jackson compete in?

Jackson specializes in the 500m, though she competes in the 1000m as well.

What is Erin Jackson’s career timeline in speed skating?

After a 15-year-long career in inline skating, Jackson first tried speed skating in February 2017. Later that year, in September, she made a permanent switch. She then qualified for her first Olympics in January 2018, despite having only picked up the sport four months earlier.

Since her 24th-place finish at the PyeongChang Games, Jackson’s speed skating career has exploded. She has set six national records (including five in the last four years), earned 28 World Cup medals (16 gold), claimed five national titles, and skated to Olympic gold.

How many Olympic medals has Erin Jackson won?

Jackson has won one Olympic medal, a gold at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.

What records has Erin Jackson set in speed skating?

Jackson currently holds the American record in the women’s 500m, which she set in 2021. She also shares the national women’s team sprint record with Brittany Bowe and Sarah Warren.

How did Erin Jackson become the first Black woman to win Olympic speed skating gold?

Though Jackson initially failed to qualify for the women’s 500m sprint in Beijing, her teammate Brittany Bowe decided to give up her own spot on the United States’ roster for the event, allowing Jackson to compete. Jackson then went on to win the race with a time of 37.04 seconds — just one-tenth of a second off the Olympic record.

Jackson’s victory undoubtedly was an impressive personal milestone, given that she only began competing in the sport five years earlier, but it broke several other barriers as well.

With the win, she became the first Black American woman to win a medal in speed skating, the first Black woman to win an individual Winter Olympic gold, the first American woman to win the Olympic 500m since Bonnie Blair in 1994, the first American woman to claim speed skating gold since Chris Witty in 2002, the first American to make an Olympic podium in the 500m since Joey Cheek’s gold in 2006, and the first individual gold medalist for the United States in any speed skating event since 2010.

How has Erin Jackson performed at World Cup events?

Since her first season on the World Cup circuit in 2018-19, Jackson has raced her way to 28 podiums, including 16 first-place finishes.

What makes Erin Jackson one of the fastest skaters in the world?

Although Jackson only began speed skating in 2017, her long-built foundation in inline skating played a key role in learning to speed skate so well.

Additionally, Jackson is known for her strong and steady hips, which enable her to make incredibly powerful strides on the ice. 

How does Erin Jackson compare to Brittany Bowe and other U.S. speed skating stars?

Over the course of her career, Jackson certainly has carved her place among the great American speed skaters. She has set six national records in seven years on the professional level, comparable to Brittany Bowe’s 11 set over the last 12 years. Jackson also has collected 16 first-place World Cup finishes, just under half of Bowe’s total (33). Bowe has two Olympic medals compared to Jackson’s one, but Bowe’s prizes both are bronze.

Having spent more time in the sport, skaters like Bowe, Bonnie Blair, Jordan Stolz, Dan Jansen, and Eric Heiden have more hardware to show for their hard work. Nonetheless, Jackson has become a speed skating icon in her own right.

Will Erin Jackson compete at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics?

Though the official U.S. speed skating team will not be announced until January, Jackson is expected to compete at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Could Erin Jackson win another Olympic medal in 2026?

Should she make the U.S. Olympic roster for the 2026 Olympics, Jackson would be a serious medal contender. Since her historic victory in Beijing, Jackson has continued to excel in the 500m, securing back-to-back titles at the 2024 and 2025 Four Continents Championships. Additionally, despite battling a medical issue which impacted her energy level, she was crowned the overall World Cup champion in 2024-25 — a title she also earned the year before.

Who is Erin Jackson's coach?

Jackson works primarily with Ryan Shimabukuro, the national program's head coach.

What is Erin Jackson's training routine?

During the season, Jackson's training sessions involve a combination of on-ice sessions dedicated to fixing technique and off-ice sessions focused on improving strength and flexibility. Over the summer, Jackson prioritizes building endurance and muscle through activities like biking and weightlifting.

How is Erin Jackson performing in the 2025–26 World Cup season?

The 2025-26 Speed Skating World Cup season begins in mid-November 2025. The first competition will be held at the Olympic Oval in Salt Lake City, Utah, Nov. 14-16.

What challenges could Erin Jackson face at the Milan Cortina Olympics?

Jackson’s biggest hurdle at the 2026 Olympics could be her health. Since 2023, the skater has battled several herniated discs, gastrointestinal issues, and uterine fibroids, issues which caused severe pain and required multiple surgeries. Though she was able to maintain her top ranking in the 500m, the lengthy recovery periods impacted her ability to train in the 1000m.

How important would a second Olympic gold be for Erin Jackson’s legacy?

Jackson made her mark on the American — and international — speed skating landscapes in Beijing. A second Olympic gold further would cement her role as one of the most influential U.S. speed skaters of all time.

What are Erin Jackson’s biggest career highlights in speed skating?

Jackson has hit many significant milestones over the course of her relatively short career. Most notable is her Olympic victory in Beijing, but her first came during her very first World Cup season. That year, she helped set the national record in the women’s team sprint event — a mark she then reset twice in 2022 and once in 2024.

During the 2020-21 season — the beginning of her breakout — she was crowned U.S. champion in the 500m for the first time and earned silver in the 1000m. The next year, she earned her first top World Cup prize (and went on to grab six more that season).

How many medals has Erin Jackson won at the world championships?

Jackson won silver medals in the women’s team sprint at both the 2023 and 2024 World Championships.

What international titles has Erin Jackson earned outside the Olympics?

Jackson was named the overall champion in the women’s 500m during the last two consecutive World Cup seasons and Four Continents Championships.

Additionally, during the 2022-23 World Cup campaign, she earned the overall title in the women’s team sprint competition.

How does Erin Jackson rank in ISU World Cup standings?

Jackson closed out the 2024-25 World Cup season ranked first in the women’s 500m.

What skate brand and gear does Erin Jackson use?

Jackson, like many other professional speed skaters, uses Bont skates. The U.S. national team wears suits made by Under Armour.

How many followers does Erin Jackson have on Instagram?

As of September 2025, Jackson has 113,000 followers on Instagram.

What are Erin Jackson’s hobbies outside skating?

In her free time, Jackson likes to watch TV, travel and bowl, according to the International Skating Union.

What are some fun facts about Erin Jackson’s journey from inline skating to Olympic champion?

• Jackson was a figure skater before she switched to inline, and she ran track and field in high school
• She has a bachelor’s degree in materials science and engineering, as well as an associate’s degree in computer science. Additionally, ahead of the Beijing Olympics, she was working on a second associate’s degree in kinesiology
• She has the ability to fall asleep anywhere, anytime