The road to the Olympics runs through Ocala once again, with two hometown heroines having officially secured an opportunity to compete for gold in Italy next month.
Speed skaters Erin Jackson and Brittany Bowe both officially qualified to compete in the 1,000-meter women’s races at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Officially the XXV Winter Olympic Games, or Milano Cortina 2026, the event is being held jointly by the city of Milan and the Cortina d’Ampezzo ski resort from February 6 to February 22.
On Saturday, Jackson and Bowe finished first and second, respectively, in the 1000m women’s speed ice skating event at the United States Olympic Trials, which were held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Jackson finished with a blistering time of 1:14.62, while Bowe finished just 0.39 seconds behind (1:15.01).
In a post-race interview with NBC Sports, Jackson indicated that the victory was a big relief, as she has been battling injuries for the past several years…