Utah Resident Erin Jackson Represents Team USA As Flag Bearer
Feb 6, 2026, 11:11 AM | Updated: 3:57 pm
MILAN, Italy — Utah resident and Olympic gold medalist Erin Jackson represented and honored the United States as the flag bearer at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Games today.
The speed-skating Olympian made history in Beijing in 2022 and earned the privilege of leading Team USA into this year’s Olympics.
All the emotions surrounding the announcement of Erin Jackson being nominated as a flag bearer for Team USA. 🥹 pic.twitter.com/9wmkROi2fv
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) February 3, 2026
Prior to the opening ceremony on Friday, Jackson spoke on what it means to be the 2026 flag bearer for Team USA.
“It’s a really big honor. I’m super grateful,” Jackson started. “Being chosen by my teammates. The moment I found out, I was at practice with my team, which was really cool. Our coach sat us down on the edge of the ice and announced it to the team. It was just a really cool moment. Having Brittany (Bowe) right next to me, because she was the flag bearer for the last Olympics, trying to keep the legacy going.”
Erin Jackson’s family’s reaction to her bearing the flag for the United States ❤️ pic.twitter.com/514T5iCuNn
— espnW (@espnW) February 6, 2026
You can watch Jackson and Team USA take the stage at the Milano Cortina Winter Games on Peacock, NBC, and KSL 5 TV.
Who is Erin Jackson?
Jackson was born in Ocala, Florida, and picked up an early affinity for skating, both on the ice and on the track.
After picking up multiple medals at the World Junior Championships, she attended the University of Florida, where she studied engineering and continued to rack up hardware at the World Championships and the Pan American Games.
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In 2017, she picked up speed skating and almost instantly found success. Jackson made the team for the 2018 PyeongChang Games and never looked back.
In 2022, she became the first Black American woman to win a medal in speed skating and the first Black woman to win an individual Winter Olympic gold. She was also the first American woman to claim a 500m gold since Bonnie Blair in 1994.
Jackson will have the chance to defend her Olympic title in Italy in 2026.
Follow the Milan Cortina Winter Games on KSL
Find KSL Sports coverage of the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics here.
Chandler Holt is a co-host of the Jazz Notes podcast, a Locals In The NFL Insider, and Digital Sports Producer for sports.ksl.com. Follow Chandler on X for Utah Jazz and Locals In The NFL updates.
Brian Preece is a sports.ksl.com insider covering Locals in MLB and the Salt Lake Bees. Follow Brian’s Bees and Beehive baseball here. Find Brian on X, Instagram, and BlueSky at @bpreece24.
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