Team USA's top Olympic speed skater admits that she long struggled just to get on and off the ice

• Erin Jackson is a top-ranked speed skater and a favorite to win gold at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
• The American star admitted that, despite her success, she has struggled to get on and off the ice.

Erin Jackson is one of the most talented speed skaters on the planet.

But when it comes to getting on and off the ice, she's far less dextrous.

"It's harder than it looks!" Jackson told Insider ahead of the 2022 Beijing Olympics, where she is a favorite to win gold in the women's speed skating 500-meter race.

The winner of four of the past eight World Cups in the event had only been training seriously in speed skating for four months before punching her ticket to the 2018 Olympics in Pyeongchang. Her extensive history of competing in inline skating and roller derby helped prepare her to thrive in the high-octane winter sport.

"I've been training hard my whole life using very similar muscles in inline skating and roller derby," Jackson said.

But that training offered little assistance in the careful art of balancing on the slippery ice with long, thin blades strapped to her feet.

Jackson — a Florida native without much natural experience with the cold — admitted as much in a cover story for Sports Illustrated published in January. But when Insider caught up with her just ahead of this winter's games, the 29-year-old shared that she had made progress on maneuvering around the ice without assistance.

"I think I've got it down now," Jackson said with a laugh.

Jackson is scheduled to compete in the women's speed skating 500-meter event on Sunday night Beijing time. Fans looking to watch stateside can tune in to USA Network or Peacock at 9:45 a.m. ET to watch the American star compete for her first Olympic medal.