With the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, Italy, underway, fans may be surprised by the Sunshine State’s presence with Team USA on the ice and snow.
Ocala native and former Florida Gator Erin Jackson served as a flag bearer for Team USA at the opening ceremony, becoming the first Black woman to hold the honor at a Winter Games. Jackson, the defending 500-meter speed skating gold medalist, makes her event debut Sunday. Before then, she will make her Olympic debut today in the 1,000-meter, looking to expand her medal-winning talents into longer distances.
Ocala-resident Brittany Bowe joins Jackson, competing in her fourth and final Olympics. Bowe is slated for the 1,000-meter, 1,500-meter speed skating and the women’s team pursuit. She still holds the world record in the 1,000-meter (1:11.61), set March 9, 2019, at the Utah Olympic Oval in Salt Lake City…