Olympic Gold Medalist Erin Jackson Eyes 2030 and 3rd Degree

Erin Jackson went from roller derby to Olympic gold in just four years, and she's not done making history yet.

The 33-year-old speed skater shocked everyone in 2018 when she qualified for the Olympics with only four months of ice skating experience. She didn't even tell her family she was trying out. "I was just going to have a little checkup race or something, and I ended up making the team," Jackson said.

Four years later in Beijing, she became the first Black woman to win an individual Winter Olympic gold medal. She didn't even realize she'd made history until she saw the headlines days later.

Jackson's journey started on roller skates, not ice. Growing up with inline skating and roller derby gave her powerful skating muscles, but she's still unlearning wheel habits years later. "It's a never-ending process trying to perfect ice skating technique," she explained.

At the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics earlier this year, Jackson finished fifth in the 500 meters and sixth in the 1,000 meters. She's already planning her comeback for 2030.

Between training sessions, Jackson lives what she calls a pretty normal life in Salt Lake City. She loves pickleball, takes lots of naps, and hangs out with her pets. She also plays recreational kickball with teammates, and they've won the championship multiple times. Their speed gives them away as athletes.

Why This Inspires

What many people don't know about Jackson is her dedication to education. She already has a materials engineering degree from the University of Florida. Since moving to Salt Lake City, she's earned a computer science degree and is working on two more, all through a partnership with a local community college.

Her goal is to combine everything she's learning into biomechanics work, specifically prosthetics. Competing alongside Paralympic athletes through her Comcast partnership reignited that passion from her college days. "I really want to work on prosthetics," she said.

Jackson wishes more people would ask about her education instead of just her athletic achievements. She's building a future beyond skating, one degree at a time.

Four years from now, Jackson sees herself standing on another Olympic podium with gold around her neck. After that, she's ready to put those degrees to work helping others move through the world.