Winter Olympics 2026: How to watch U.S. speedskater Erin Jackson try to defend gold

Before Jordan Stolz topped the podium for the first time in the men’s 1000-meter race, Erin Jackson was the last United States speedskater to win gold at the Winter Olympics. In 2022, she became the first Black woman to earn an individual gold medal in the history of the Games, finishing just 0.08 seconds off of the Olympic record in the women’s 500m.

Four years later, Jackson is back as the world’s third-ranked speedskater in the event. The 33-year-old has already raced the 1000m, finishing sixth out of 30 athletes, and served as one of two U.S. flag bearers during the opening ceremony. All that’s left on her agenda? Prove that she’s still the best in the world at one of the Winter Olympics’ most relentless races.

How to watch Erin Jackson in the women’s 500m race

• Venue: Milano Speed Skating Stadium — Milan
• Date: Sunday, Feb. 15
• Time: 11 a.m. ET
• TV: NBC
• Streaming: Peacock, NBCOlympics.com

NBC’s Sunday night episode of “Primetime in Milan” will show highlights of Jackson at 8 p.m. ET.

Jackson is a powerful skater who can quickly get up to speed — she regularly tops out at upwards of 35 miles per hour — but it’s her technique that makes her such a strong contender. Her skates bite at the inside of her lane, coming just close enough to give herself the shortest possible path to the finish while still avoiding a penalty.

That elite cornering, paired with her aggressive pace on the straights, is what secured her gold in Beijing.

As is the case in any Olympic event, the field in this year’s 500-meter race is stacked. Dutch superstar Femke Kok enters as the world No. 1 and owner of the world record, a 36.09 she posted in November 2025. She took second in Monday’s 1000-meter race and is expected to compete for gold in the 1500m as well.

Japan’s Miho Takagi, who came in third in the 1000m, and Yukino Yoshida will also go up against Jackson. The other American in the race is Sarah Warren, making her Olympic debut.

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