Olympic happy end for Erin Jackson - with help from longtime friend Brittany Bowe

Brittany Bowe started it, Erin Jackson finished it.

Thanks to Bowe, Jackson became an Olympic speed skating champion with victory in the women's 500 metres on Sunday (13 February), unseating Japan's Takagi Miho from the top with a pair to go.

Jackson, who has four World Cup wins this season, struck gold in 37.04 seconds - 0.08 ahead of Takagi. Angelina Golikova of ROC took bronze.

Bowe went first, in the fifth pair against Canada's Marsha Hudey. She crossed the wire in 38.04.

Jackson was pitted against Kaja Ziomek of Poland and delivered the fairytale ending to her story with Bowe.

You couldn't script a better tale than the one penned by Jackson and Bowe.

Jackson, the world No. 1 at the distance and the first Black woman to make the American long track team in 2018, finished third at the U.S. Olympic trials in January after an uncharacteristic slip.

Bowe went on to win the 500m as a result - which didn't sit well with her. Having already qualified in the 1,000m and 1,500m, she elected to give up her spot to her friend of nearly two decades.

It gets better.

After some teams decided to return their quotas for the Games, USA earned an extra spot.

No need to explain who that ticket went to.

More to follow...