Erin Jackson had an eventful time at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina. The 33-year-old American speed skater competed in her third Olympics, and did it in her own way.
For the opening ceremony, Erin was selected by her fellow Team USA athletes with the honor of carrying the flag.
"It was really cool," the athlete told HELLO!. "Especially being chosen by my peers on Team USA, and being able to lead them into the games. It was a pretty awesome feeling."
© Hersey'sShe also explained the emotional, and physical weight, of taking on such an important task. "It was an amazing feeling," Erin reiterated. "All I really remember is just smiling the entire time, and just looking up at the flag, and yeah, trying to… trying to keep it waving properly."
The Milan Olympics were different for Erin than the other ones she competed in. In 2018, with just four months of experience speed skating on ice, Erin qualified for the Winter Games in Pyeongchang.
© Getty ImagesFour years later, she won the gold medal in the women's 500-meter speed skating event at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, becoming the first Black woman to win a Winter Olympic gold in an individual sport,
While she was hoping to repeat her success in Milan, she missed the podium by just .05 seconds.
"Overall, I'm fine with the way everything turned out," Erin told HELLO!. "Of course, I would [have] loved to be on the podium, but yeah, I mean, with this sport, you have to have a really clean run, you have to be really perfect, you only get one shot at it, and yeah, unfortunately, I just… yeah, I couldn't put together a great race that day."
© Getty ImagesBut, Erin is looking on the bright side of things. For example, during training, she indulges in "Reese's pieces," which makes sense as Erin is sponsored by Hershey's. The iconic chocolate brand's Olympic campaign – "Hershey. It's Your Happy Place" – showed off athletes and where they find joy.
For Erin, it was in the "lightness" of the Milan-Cortina Games.
"Especially coming off of Beijing, the highlight [in Milan] was just being able to explore the city and just have, like, an open games," Erin told HELLO!, explaining that in Beijing, everyone was still on heightened alert around getting COVID-19. She continued: "It was just really cool to have the freedom to roam around. There was just a lightness in the air for everyone."
Erin and her fellow speed skaters were based in Milan for the games, alongside the short track skaters, figure skaters, and hockey players.
© Getty Images"Hanging out with my different Team USA teammates [was one of my highlights]," Erin shared with HELLO!. She even got to meet gold medalists Alysa Liu and Amber Glenn. And, she excitingly reconnected with figure skaters Madison Chock and Evan Bates "over some McDonald's."
While Erin's season isn't over yet – she spoke with HELLO! on a training break during a tournament in The Netherlands – she is excited to get home, hang out with her friends, and stay home with her pets.
