MILWAUKEE — What is life like after gold?
"Ah, it's busy," Olympic gold medalist Erin Jackson says. "I think busy is the best word to describe it. But it's been awesome. It's been a lot of fun. Traveling around a lot."
Jackson is the reigning gold medalist in the 500 meters. The speedskater is training this week at the Pettit.
TMJ4's Lance Allan asks, "What does a facility like this mean to you?"
"I've had a lot of big moments at the Pettit," Jackson says with a laugh. "In 2018, making my first Olympic team really unexpectedly. And then this past Olympic trials, not making the team when I was expected to, so another pretty big moment here."
Jackson mentioned this year's trials where she slipped, only to have Brittany Bowe give up her spot so Jackson could go for gold.
Lance Allan asks, "Do you ever take yourself back to that moment earlier this year and think, wow?"
"It is pretty wild," Jackson says. "You know, it added some drama to the trials. We can't keep it too boring, right? A lot of people say how it was really inspiring and a really nice thing to see just in the world right now. As Olympic athletes, people see us doing athletic things and they see us doing sports and stuff like that. But it was really nice to get a story about good people, just showing what a good person Brittany is and that she's so selfless."
It all led to Jackson becoming the first Black woman to win an Olympic gold medal in an individual event at the Winter Games.
Lance Allan asks, "Do you find more younger girls saying, Erin, thank you or what an accomplishment or whatever, with what you did?"
"I think that's one of the most rewarding things to come out of all this, is just seeing those messages and listening to people say the impact it's had," Jackson says. "I was reading a message yesterday from someone saying, oh, I hope my daughter can see this and have as much confidence and drive as you."
Lance Allan asks, "Being the first Black woman to win an individual gold medal, Winter Games, how do you view it?"
"It's awesome to be the first. But it would also be awesome to know that there's a long history of other people before me," Jackson says. "But I just hope that the second and the third and the fourth come up pretty quickly."
Jackson still has a joy about her as fame arrives combining with Bonnie Blair Cruikshank and the DASH program to grow the sport.
"I love this place. It has a really big skating history, right?" Jackson says. "She's doing amazing work here trying to get more people involved in the sport. That's kind of what I want to start working on as well. Maybe we can tag team it. Her in Milwaukee and me in Salt Lake and just kind of get more people involved."
Jackson says speedskating is not a job or work to her. She's planning on going for more gold in 2026.
