In a stunning display of grit and determination, American figure skater Amber Glenn shook off a fall and her own creeping self-doubt to capture her first-ever Grand Prix title on Saturday at the Grand Prix de France in Angers. The 24-year-old Texan, who had led after the short program, stumbled on a triple flip in her free skate and had to steady herself with her hand on two other jumps. But buoyed by the enthusiastic French crowd, Glenn dug deep and fought for every remaining element to eke out the victory.
“I didn’t feel that great out there today, but I really tried and the audience really got me through that last half when I was doubting myself,” an emotional Glenn said after her gutsy performance. “The audience was really strong and really encouraging, so I fought for everything I could.”
A Nail-Biting Finish
Glenn’s free skate score of 117.82 points was only the third-best of the day, but her leading short program mark proved enough of a cushion to secure the gold with a total of 210.44 points. She narrowly held off challenges from a pair of Japanese standouts – Wakaba Higuchi, the winner at Skate America last month, took silver, while Rion Sumiyoshi earned bronze in her Grand Prix debut.
South Korea’s Kim Chaeyeon, who had been second after the short, faltered in the free skate and slipped to fourth overall. Sarah Everhardt, a 17-year-old American also making her first Grand Prix appearance, finished a respectable fifth.
Glenn’s Rocky Road
Glenn’s victory marked a significant breakthrough for a skater who has often tantalized with her talent but struggled with inconsistency. She won the U.S. junior title back in 2014, but had never finished higher than 5th at senior Nationals. Her previous best Grand Prix result had been a 4th-place showing at 2019 Skate America.
But under the guidance of new coach Peter Cain, Glenn appeared to be building momentum this season. She won the silver medal at the U.S. International Figure Skating Classic in September and was considered a dark horse contender heading into the Grand Prix campaign.
“Amber has always had the talent and the jumps, but this year we’ve really focused on her confidence and mental approach,” Cain said. “Winning here is proof that she is learning to trust her training and stay focused under pressure. It’s a huge step forward for her.”
Peter Cain, coach of Amber Glenn
Bouncing Back from Adversity
Still, that confidence was tested on Saturday when Glenn fell on a triple flip midway through her “Secrets” free skate. The mistake clearly rattled her, as her next two jumping passes were shaky. But Glenn refused to let the program unravel completely.
“After the flip, I could feel myself starting to doubt and hold back,” Glenn admitted. “But I knew I couldn’t afford any more mistakes. I just tried to keep telling myself, ‘you’ve done this a million times in practice, trust your body and keep fighting.’ The crowd could sense I needed some extra energy and they really lifted me up. I’m so grateful for their support.”
Glenn rebounded to land a strong double axel-triple toe loop and fought for the landings on her final two jumping passes to preserve her slim lead. When her scores were announced, the joyous American pumped her fists and covered her face in happy disbelief before bounding to the top of the podium.
What It Means
With this victory, Amber Glenn now finds herself in uncharted territory:
- She vaults into Olympic contention with the Beijing Games just 15 months away. The U.S. has struggled to find a consistent successor to Olympic champions Meryl Davis, Kristi Yamaguchi and Sarah Hughes. Could Glenn be the answer?
- The win makes Glenn the first American woman to win a Grand Prix event since Ashley Wagner in 2016 and should boost her standing and confidence within the deep U.S. ladies’ field.
- The 15 points gives Glenn an excellent shot at qualifying for December’s exclusive Grand Prix Final, which would further announce her as a rising force.
Far from resting on this result, Glenn is already looking ahead to her next competition, November’s NHK Trophy in Japan. “This is an amazing moment that I want to savor,” she said. “But I know I still have a lot of work to do. I want to keep improving and building on this momentum. This is just the first step to where I want to go.”
For American skating fans starved for something to celebrate, Amber Glenn’s gritty, odds-defying victory in France offers hope that a new U.S. star has arrived on the scene – one with the talent and now the tenacity to chase even bigger dreams ahead.
