Feb 2, 2022
Erin Jackson’s Need for Speed, Ben Rhodes on Olympic politics, Michael Vick’s Where Were They Then?
Erin Jackson grew up competing in inline skating and roller derby as a rink rat in Ocala, Fla. Now, she’s America’s best hope for gold in long-track speed skating at the Winter Olympics. Considered a sure bet to make the U.S. team, Jackson slipped during qualifying and nearly missed the games until a fateful decision made by her childhood idol, Brittany Bowe, gave her a ticket to back to the Olympics. Senior writer Stephanie Apstein wrote SI’s cover story on Erin Jackson and tells us about her incredible journey from Florida to Beijing.
SI Cover story: Erin Jackson Is Ready to Make a Statement on Ice
As the sports spotlight shifts to Beijing, not all invited guests are showing up to the party. Along with Great Britain, Canada and Australia, the United States is enacting a “diplomatic boycott” of the Beijing games, which means no government officials will attend, though athletes will still compete. With critics like French President Emmanuel Macron dismissing these efforts a…