Olympics Sends Message to U.S. Figure Skater Amber Glenn After Mistake

Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Olympics Sends Message to U.S. Figure Skater Amber Glenn After Mistake

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Chris Phelps | Last updated Feb 18, 2026 7:23 AM ET

Amber Glenn made her Winter Olympics debut at Milano Cortina 2026, winning her first Olympic gold as part of Team USA in the figure skating team event. Joining Glenn in the 69-point performance were fellow U.S. skaters Alysa Liu, Ilia Malinin, Danny O’Shea and Ellie Kim, along with ice dancers Evan Bates and Madison Chock.

But Glenn was not done there, setting her sights on another gold medal Tuesday as she competed in the women’s singles short program, joining fellow “Blade Angels” members Liu and Isabeau Levito. And Glenn entered the event as a favorite after winning gold at the past three U.S. Figure Skating Championships.

Team USA figure skater Amber Glenn (28) competes in the women's figure skating short program.Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

During her short program routine, Glenn started off with a bang, becoming one of just two 2026 Olympic athletes to complete a triple axel, a move that gave her 10.06 points. However, midway through her routine, Glenn failed to complete a required triple loop, managing only a double.

Because Glenn did not complete the necessary rotations, the jump was ruled an invalid element and she received zero points. The mistake proved costly, as she finished with a score of 67.39, placing her 13th. While she qualified for Thursday’s free skate, Glenn was effectively eliminated from medal contention, trailing third-place Liu (76.59) by more than nine points.

Even though Glenn may have had a disappointing outing in the short program, she still joined some elite company, becoming one of just two skaters to land a triple axel at the 2026 Winter Olympics. She joins Japan’s Ami Nakai, who finished first in the short program with a score of 78.71.

And, despite the error, the Olympics sent a message to Glenn after her triple Axel, welcoming her to the elite club.

"Welcome to the triple Axel at the Olympics club, Nakai Ami and Amber Glenn! ," the Olympics wrote on X.

The women's single free skating event will begin on Thursday at 1:00 p.m. ET.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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