Erin Jackson Earns Olympic Speedskating Spot After Only Four Months On The Ice

Yesterday, Erin Jackson, 25, became the first black woman to make an Olympic team for long-track speedskating. She qualified in third place with a time of 39.04 in the 500 meter event at the U.S. Speedskating Trials in Milwaukee, Wisc.

Making an Olympic team is impressive enough; what makes Jackson’s feat even more impressive is how recently she came to long-track speedskating. She’s only been training full-time on ice for about four months.

“I’ve been an inline speed skater for 15 years,” said Jackson. “I came out to Salt Lake City for the first time in March, well, the end of February into March. Then I went back to inline for the summer and came back to Salt Lake in September, so it’s been about four months combined.”

In addition to her experience in inline skating, Jackson was also a jammer in roller derby.

H/t Matt