3 in a row: Erin Jackson wins another speedskating gold

Erin Jackson of the USA in action during the women’s 500m race at the Speed Skating World Cup in Tomaszow Mazowiecki, Poland, Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Erin Jackson won her third World Cup speedskating gold of the season Saturday, taking the 500 meters in Norway.

The American won in 37.602 seconds, defeating defending Olympic champion Nao Kodaira of Japan, who took second in 37.708.

Jackson earned her third victory of the season over Kodaira, having beaten her twice at the season-opening meet in Poland a week ago when the 29-year-old from Ocala, Florida, became the first Black woman to win a World Cup speedskating race.

Two-time Olympian Brittany Bowe of the U.S. finished eighth.

Jackson switched to the ice from inline skating and roller derby. She became the first Black woman to qualify for a U.S. Olympic long-track speedskating team in 2018, just four months after taking up the sport.

In the men’s 500, Laurent Dubreuil of Canada won in 34.573 over Russia’s Artem Arefyev.

Nils van der Poel of Sweden won the men’s 10,000 in 12 minutes, 38.928 seconds.

Erin Jackson of the USA in action during the women’s 500m race at the Speed Skating World Cup in Tomaszow Mazowiecki, Poland, Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)