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Erin Jackson headed to Olympics after Brittany Bowe gives up 500 spot

Bowe and Jackson are friends from the same Florida hometown.

Erin Jackson is heading to the Beijing Olympics thanks to Brittany Bowe.

Bowe has given up her spot in the 500 meters, allowing Jackson — ranked No. 1 in the world in the 500 — to make the U.S. team, according to a report Sunday on USA Network. Jackson slipped in her race Friday at the U.S. trials in Milwaukee and finished third in the event she has dominated this season.

Bowe won the 500 and Kimi Goetz took second to earn the two available Olympic spots. The rules didn’t allow for Jackson to have a re-skate — only a mechanical failure or a fall are reason for a do-over.

In November in Poland, Jackson became the first Black woman to win a World Cup event. She won four of eight 500 races on the World Cup circuit, along with a second and third.

Bowe and Jackson are friends from the same hometown of Ocala, Florida.

Jackson will be making her second Olympic appearance, having finished 24th in the 500 in 2018, not long after she switched from online skating to the ice.

Three-time Olympian Bowe will compete in the 1,000 and 1,500 in Beijing. Goetz will compete in the 500 and 1,000.

In the 16-lap mass start Sunday at the Pettit National Ice Center, Ian Quinn won the men's race and Giorgia Birkeland took the women's event.

Quinn won in 7 minutes, 56.82 to earn the guaranteed Olympic spot.

Ethan Cepuran was second and Emery Lehman finished third. Joey Mantia was sixth. That trio already earned Olympic berths in their specialties.

Birkeland won in 9:53.20. Mia Manganello Kilburg took second at 9:53.34. Jamie Jurak was third at 9:54.56.

Manganello Kilburg earned the guaranteed Olympic spot because she leads the overall point total.

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