“People Don’t Care”- Olympic Gold Medalist Erin Jackson Opens Up on Harsh Living Conditions Athletes Face Post-Olympics

Published 05/17/2022, 9:30 AM EDT

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To compete at the Olympics is the highest honor of any athlete’s life. It’s simply the best feeling ever. However, being there demands a lot of sacrifices, hard work, and dedication. Sometimes athletes prepare for years and years just to have that moment of glory at the Olympics. But the more important question is; Do these athletes get enough in return for devoting their entire life to the competition? Let’s hear what American speed skater Erin Jackson thinks.

The 29-year-old Erin Jackson is an Olympic gold medalist. She achieved this feat in the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, where she won a gold medal in 500 meters track speed skating. Erin is a remarkable skater and has made her country proud on various occasions. In 2021, she even won her first 500 meters Speedskating World Cup race in Poland.

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Erin Jackson talks about her life post-Olympics

Olympics definitely could be rewarding, but not everyone becomes Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt. A handful of the athletes become larger than sports figures, whereas the rest of them carry on with their lives in the same way they were before. In Erin’s opinion, maybe an athlete can be a star during the season, but as soon as the competitions are over, it’s the same life all over again.

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The Olympic champion said, “the thing with Olympic sports is that–how do I say it diplomatically?–people don’t care a whole lot as soon as the Olympics are over.”

Giving more context to the scenario, Erin further added, “Right after the Games, it’s tough. Where’s the money coming from? How are we going to keep paying rent? Because it does go kind of dark after the Games. Everyone forgets about you.”

US Athlete Erin Jackson Makes Ground Breaking History at Beijing Winter Olympics 2022

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Not everyone can afford to play Winter Sports

Undoubtedly, Winter Sports are some of the most expensive sports in the world, and speed skating is one of them. Therefore, even if you have a remarkable talent for a particular winter sport, to be able to afford that is another major challenge. On her journey to become a speed skater Olympian, Erin said, “If I didn’t have the help in the beginning with that sport, I wouldn’t have had a future in it. It’s expensive.”

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Do you think athletes are getting paid enough for the incredible things they do in their respective sports? If not, what could be changed to make it a better place for more talents to flourish without them worrying about their survival?

WATCH THIS STORY- WOW! American Speed Skater Brittany Bowe Gives Up Olympic Spot to a Friend for Beijing Winter Olympics 2022

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Written by:

Saurav Panwar

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Saurav Panwar is a US Sports writer at EssentiallySports. A postgraduate in Media and Communication Studies, he shares a profound love for creative direction and filmmaking. Saurav is also an avid reader and a literature devotee whose fandom spreads from classics to sci-fi, non-fiction, plays, comics, and much more.
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