Amber Glenn’s Olympic moment was worth the wait.
On Thursday night (19 February) inside the Milano Ice Skating Arena for the women’s free skate at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, the three-time U.S. champion soared to a season’s best score of 147.52. Her total score of 214.91 would have placed fourth at last year’s World Championships.
“I told myself enjoy it, and I had my moment in my spiral,” Glenn told NBC afterward. “I told myself, ‘You just skated, stayed on your feet at the Olympics’. I am proud that I was able to have that moment.”
At 26, Glenn became the oldest U.S. woman to compete in Olympic figure skating in nearly a century. She arrived in Milano with the perspective of experience – and the confidence of years of hard work.
“That six-year-old girl that never thought I’d ever be here, so I just told myself to go out there, do your job,” said Glenn of resetting after the short program. “I was working toward being able to have that moment [step] sequence, that was my reward.”
That determination was evident from her opening element.
Glenn launched into a commanding triple Axel that earned more than 10 points. From there, she built her program with control and confidence, skating to “I Will Find You” and “The Return” with composure.
She ticked off her technical content one element at a time – a clean triple Flip, a triple toe loop combination, and a triple Lutz–double toe loop among them – maintaining steady speed and attack across the ice.
Her lone stumble came on the final jumping pass. Attempting a triple loop – the same element she had popped in Tuesday’s short program – Glenn put her hand on the ice on the landing, resulting in a negative grade of execution.
But the mistake did little to dampen the atmosphere.
As the final notes rang out, a sea of American flags waved in the stands with thunderous applause and cheers. Glenn punched the air.
