Black Athletes in the Spotlight: HBCU Sports & Local Highlights
- Jackson Olson performed a Savannah Bananas-themed cha-cha to "Wannabe", receiving a score of 15/30.
- Jackson Olson and Maggie Sajak have dated since April and maintain their long-distance relationship through careful planning.
- Maggie Sajak, daughter of former Pat Sajak, cheered Olson at the premiere, praising his work and urging fans to vote.
- Dancing With the Stars airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+.
Jackson Olson had the full support of his girlfriend, Maggie Sajak, for his Dancing With the Stars debut.
Olson, 28, kicked off the Tuesday, September 15, premiere with a Savannah Bananas-themed cha-cha to “Wannabe” by the Spice Girls alongside pro partner Emma Slater. At the end of the duo’s high-energy routine, the cameras cut to Sajak, 31, in the front row.
Olson, who scored a 15 out of 30 for the number, has been dating the Wheel of Fortune correspondent since April.
“It’s really cool because we’re obviously living very different lives right now on the opposite side of the country, but we’re able to come together and just have an awesome relationship,” Olson exclusively told Us in May. “I feel like in any relationship, you’re trying to figure out how to see each other as frequently as possible, which is never something that I thought in my past I was going to want to do … but now I really do.”
Olson explained how he and Sajak remained committed to their romance despite the long distances apart.
“It’s just about planning and making sure you’re setting aside time to see each other and make really cool experiences happen because [the] start of a relationship never happens again,” he explained. “You only get one chance at a start of a relationship.”
Maggie Sajak (third from left) with Jackson Olson’s family and friends on Tuesday, September 15. Courtesy of ABC
Maggie, the daughter of former Wheel of Fortune host Pat Sajak, has remained the baseball star’s biggest cheerleader throughout the beginning of his ballroom journey.
“It is the Dancing With the Stars season premiere, I am so excited to go watch Jackson perform,” Maggie said via her Instagram Stories earlier on Tuesday. “He’s just going to do incredible. He’s been working so hard, he’s been so busy and he’s handling it all with just such grace. I could not be more proud of him.”
Ahead of the show, Maggie predicted that Olson and Slater, 37, would be “absolutely amazing” in their first routine.
“I cannot wait to watch him shine,” she gushed. “I cannot wait for everyone to see what they’ve been working on, but you gotta make sure to vote.”
Reminding her social media followers to cast their votes for Olson and Slater, Maggie reiterated that she was “so excited” to watch her beau in the ballroom.
“Hopefully you’ll be cheering him on with me,” she concluded. “Can’t wait, stay tuned!”
Dancing With the Stars airs on ABC and Disney+ Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET.
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