Twenty-nine year old Erin Jackson has made history at the Speedskating World Cup in Tomaszów Mazowiecki, Poland by becoming the first Black woman to win a speedskating World Cup race.
Jackson became the first black woman in 2018 to qualify for the U.S. Olympic long-track speed skating team and is also a member of the Team USA/ U.S. National Team for inline speed skating, roller derby and long track speedskating.
At the ISU World Cup in Poland, Jackson not only made history by becoming the first black woman to win a race, but she also won gold in the 500 m race, which is something that hasn’t been done since Bonnie Blair in 1994.
Additionally, in her claim to victory, Jackson also defeated Nao Kodaira, the defending Olympic champion from Japan. This acclaimed win is also the best result in her career, as she had previously finished 24th in the 500 m at the 2018 Winter Olympics Pyeongchang Games in South Korea.
Jackon’s success is also an inspiration to black girls worldwide, as she proudly graduated with honors from the University of Florida in Materials Science & Engineering. Her brilliancy in the classroom and World Cup games, exuberantly shows the profound level of Black girl magic that she attains.
Her transition to inline skating to speedskating specifically on ice is pretty recent, however, the success that she currently has, shows just how bright her future is within the sport.
The spaces and doors that she is also unknowingly creating and opening for young black girls who never thought of themselves as a professional speedskater is unimaginable and excitingly already taking form.
Next, Jackson and the American team will prepare for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and many will be watching to see what records this young woman crushes next!