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Amber Glenn finishes just off podium after high-scoring free skate
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Amber Glenn finishes just off podium after high-scoring free skate

#Amber Glenn #Figure skating #Olympics 2026 #Milan Cortina Games #Alysa Liu #Triple axel #Free skate #Medal contention

📌 Key Takeaways

  • Amber Glenn scored 147.52 in her free skate, the third-best of the night
  • A mistake in her short program (double loop instead of triple) cost her dearly
  • Glenn temporarily held a podium position before being overtaken by final skaters
  • Her teammate Alysa Liu won gold, crediting Glenn's performance as inspiring

📖 Full Retelling

American figure skater Amber Glenn finished in fifth place in the women's single competition at the Milan Cortina Games on February 19, 2026, after a high-scoring free skate that nearly earned her an Olympic medal despite a disappointing short program earlier in the week. Glenn entered Thursday's competition in 13th place following a costly mistake in the short program where she performed a double loop instead of a triple, resulting in zero points for that element. However, her exhilarating free skate performance, which included a successful triple axel and several difficult jumping combinations, earned her 147.52 points – the third-best score of the night. This remarkable comeback temporarily placed her on the podium as she waited for the final skaters, only to be knocked out of medal contention when Japan's Mone Chiba, Kaori Sakamoto, Ami Nakai, and her American teammate Alysa Liu posted higher scores. Despite narrowly missing the podium, Glenn expressed satisfaction with her performance, stating 'I did my job' and acknowledging her presence at the Olympics. Liu, who ultimately won gold with a 150.20 free skate score, credited Glenn's inspiring performance with pushing her to elevate her own routine.

🏷️ Themes

Olympic competition, Athletic resilience, Mental health in sports

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Amber Glenn

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American figure skater (born 1999)

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Entity Intersection Graph

Connections for Alysa Liu:

🌐 Figure skating 13 shared
🌐 Winter Olympic Games 6 shared
🌐 United States national team 5 shared
👤 Amber Glenn 3 shared
👤 Isabeau Levito 3 shared
View full profile

Deep Analysis

Why It Matters

Amber Glenn's near‑medal finish at the Olympics highlighted the fine margins in elite figure skating and underscored the importance of mental resilience for athletes.

Context & Background

  • She entered the free skate in 13th after a short program mistake
  • Scored 147.52 in the free skate, the third‑best score that night
  • Finished fifth overall after other skaters overtook her in the final rounds

What Happens Next

Glenn will likely focus on upcoming national championships and continue refining her program to aim for a podium spot in future international events. The U.S. team will build on this depth to strengthen their Olympic prospects.

Frequently Asked Questions

What caused her short program error?

She attempted a double loop instead of a triple, which was invalidated and gave her zero points.

How close was she to medaling?

She was only about two points away from winning the free skate, but her overall placement ended up fifth.

What did her teammate say about her performance?

Alysa Liu praised Glenn, saying her performance inspired her and helped raise her own routine.

What does this mean for the U.S. figure skating team?

It demonstrates the team's depth and the importance of mental health support for athletes to achieve their best.

Original Source
Amber Glenn finishes just off podium after high-scoring free skate After a mistake cost her dearly in the short program, Glenn nearly got the miracle she would have needed to win a medal at the Olympics. Share Add NBC News to Google Feb. 19, 2026, 7:09 PM EST / Updated Feb. 19, 2026, 7:19 PM EST By Greg Rosenstein Listen to this article with a free account 00:00 00:00 MILAN — Amber Glenn didn’t expect to be in medal contention after a disappointing short program earlier this week at the Olympics. She entered Thursday’s figure skating single competition in 13th place with a lot of ground to make up against the best figure skaters in the world. Follow along for live updates But after an exhilarating free skate performance resulted in a 147.52 score — the third-best on the night — she hung on to the top of the leaderboard till the final handful of skaters knocked her off the podium, finishing in fifth place. Glenn said she was happy to provide fans, and herself, a bounceback routine at the Milan Cortina Games. “I did my job,” she told NBC News. “I made sure to have that moment in the sequence where I acknowledged, ‘Hey, I’m here at the Olympics and I’m on my feet.’ So overall, I’m pretty satisfied.” Glenn had a near-flawless skate. She nailed her triple axel, the hardest jump of the competition and one that only she and one other skater attempted. Glenn also landed several difficult jumping passes, including a triple flip-triple toeloop combination and a triple loop-double axel-double axel combination. But on her final jump, a triple loop, Glenn put her hand down, losing her some points in an otherwise stellar performance. The mistake hurt her score — and potentially cost her a medal. Despite the fall, she said she was happy with her performance. “If I had skated how I did today, I thought maybe it’d be possible (to medal),” she said. “And I was only like two points away from winning the free skate. Oh my gosh, a silly little mistake cost me, but overall, I’m just so h...
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Source

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