Olympic speed skater Erin Jackson
Why was Erin Jackson achievement totally ignored by AOL
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HAROLD DAVIS
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American Erin Jackson delivered a breathtaking Olympic victory today in the woman’s 500m to stamp her name into the record books. Jackson’s Olympic gold is the first in this distance for the USA since Bonnie Blair 28 years ago, and she is the first woman of color to win Olympic gold in speed skating.
Ocala Florida native Jackson made the transition from inline speed skating to ice six years ago and earned her first Olympic appearance in 2018, steadily chipping away at the margin separating her from the sport’s dominant women. This season marked a big step up rewarding her with convincing World Cup wins and a clear view to her second Olympic team and a serious threat to the Olympic crown.
Almost.
With an uncharacteristic slip at the US trials Jackson found herself sitting outside the qualifying quota to attend Beijing. Until….longtime friend and teammate Brittany Bowe vacated her own 500m start position to place Jackson back in the game. It gets better. Once the final Olympic quota spots were distributed to the international field of participants, another spot became available (not uncommon if another country cannot fill their quota position due to illness, injury, etc) and Bowe was back in the game for the 500m also.
This made for Hollywood blockbuster story now concludes with Erin Jackson delivering the knockout punch in the 12th round to take the title. How long before this becomes a film? You heard it here first.
Japan’s middle distance dynamo Miho Takagi surprised with a silver medal time set earlier in the day with only Jackson able to eclipse it, and Angelina Golikova(RUS) brought home a bronze in a fiercely close battle. Congratulations to the fastest women in the world!!!
Marchese Racing celebrates Gold in both the men’s and women’s 2022 Olympic 500m sprints!!!
Racing is in our blood. Winning is in our soul. By Paul Marchese