Erin Jackson: From Waffle House to Olympic gold in speed skating

Описание: Florida-raised Olympic gold medalist Erin Jackson shares her remarkable journey from inline skating in her driveway to becoming one of the world's fastest speed skaters. Growing up in Florida, Erin loved going fast so much she would get in trouble at open skating sessions for skating too quickly. Her path to the ice happened serendipitously when her mom met coach Renee Hildebrand at Waffle House—a connection Erin credits as the start of her career.

After just four months of ice skating, Erin made the 2018 PyeongChang Olympic team, calling her dad with the unexpected news: "Do you want to go to the Olympics with me?" Four years later in Beijing, she won Olympic gold, a magical moment filled with tears, hugging teammates and coaches, and overwhelming relief after a season of ups and downs. Now as a defending champion and veteran on a loaded Team USA roster, Erin embraces the pressure and target on her back, explaining that as a naturally relaxed person, the pressure actually amps her up to perform.

The transition from inline to ice skating humbled her—there's video of her first steps on ice that she describes as "terrible." But moving from Florida to Utah connected her with a community of former inline skaters who mentored her and helped her navigate the significant changes. Erin emphasizes the special commitment and sacrifice required to become an Olympic athlete, calling it "a special kind of person" who wants to endure the demanding training. She's particularly proud of teammate Brittany Bowe, who has been her mentor since age 10 back in Florida and represents everything good in the sport. Looking ahead to Italy, Erin loves the food and people, with her favorites being lasagna and pizza. As she prepares for Milan, she's ready to defend her title and represent the US with pride.

0:00 - Introduction
0:17 - Growing up skating in Florida driveway
0:54 - Getting in trouble for skating too fast
1:17 - Transition from inline to ice skating
2:07 - Waffle House connection to coach
2:56 - Making PyeongChang team after 4 months
4:02 - Beijing gold medal: Magical moment
4:37 - Pride of representing the US
4:57 - What it takes to be an Olympic athlete
5:28 - This loaded Team USA roster
5:49 - Brittany Bowe: Mentor since age 10
6:33 - Looking forward to Milan
6:53 - Enjoying the pressure as defending champ
7:14 - Italy: Love the food and people