American figure skater Amber Glenn has cemented her dominance in the sport, securing a remarkable third consecutive US national title on Friday night. Her victory at the Enterprise Center was sealed with a sensational free skate performance that featured a crucial triple axel.
Glenn Holds Nerve Under Pressure
The 26-year-old from Plano, Texas, delivered under immense pressure, skating immediately after a world-class performance from reigning world champion Alysa Liu. Glenn opened her programme with the only triple axel attempted by any of the medal contenders, a three-and-a-half revolution jump that set the tone for her routine.
She finished with a total score of 233.55 points, narrowly edging out Liu who scored 228.91. The crowd was on its feet throughout, giving Glenn a standing ovation that culminated in emotional tears with her coach, Damon Allen, as her score was announced.
"Just so grateful. That was terrifying," Glenn admitted afterwards. "I had to skate after two incredible ladies brought down the house. I’m still just mind-blown."
Olympic Team Takes Shape
The podium results all but confirm the three-woman team that will represent the United States at the upcoming Milano Cortina Winter Olympics. The official team announcement is scheduled for Sunday.
Isabeau Levito earned the bronze medal with 224.45 points, which should secure her the final spot on the Olympic squad. Her performance, set to music from Cinema Paradiso, was a season-best and showcased her signature balletic style.
Silver medallist Alysa Liu debuted a powerful new free skate set to a Lady Gaga medley, a performance that rivalled her world championship-winning form from last year. Liu remained rinkside to cheer on Glenn, demonstrating the camaraderie between the likely Olympic teammates. "I hope we can keep this energy next month for all of us," Liu said.
Pairs Champions Face Citizenship Deadline
In the pairs competition, Alisha Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov successfully defended their national title despite a nerve-wracking performance that included a near-collision. They scored 207.71 points to finish ahead of Ellie Kam and Danny O'Shea.
However, their Olympic participation hangs in the balance due to a citizenship issue. While Mitrofanov is a US citizen, Efimova—who was born in Finland and has competed for multiple nations—does not yet hold an American passport. Only citizens can represent a country at the Olympics.
The Skating Club of Boston is working with US senators and skating officials to expedite her naturalisation, but time is running out before Sunday's team selection deadline. The United States has only qualified two pairs spots for the Games.
Should Efimova's citizenship not be approved, US Figure Skating will face a difficult decision regarding the second pairs team to send to Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo.
