Erin Jackson shouldn’t even have been in Beijing.

At Olympic trials, she’d come in third in the 500-meter speed skating race after slipping. The US only had two spots.

But knowing that Jackson, a World Cup winner, had the best chance at a medal, teammate Brittany Bowe volunteered to give up her spot, knowing that her own best race would be in the 1,000 meter anyway.

That didn’t end up being necessary — the US got a third spot in the race through happenstance. But it helped lead to the scene on Sunday night in Beijing, when Jackson smiled as she removed her goggles, looking up at her time.

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