BEIJING – Four years ago, Erin Jackson was just happy to be here.
On Sunday night, she was celebrating gold.
The 29-year-old former inline skater won the women's 500 meters at the National Speed Skating Oval with a time of 37.04, earning her first Olympic medal in what has been her best event. She also makes history as the first Black woman to win an Olympic medal in speedskating, according to The Associated Press.
Jackson arrived in Beijing as the top-ranked skater in the world in the 500 but, in a twist of fate, almost didn't make it here in the first place.