Amber Glenn wins her third consecutive U.S. figure

ST. LOUIS — Amber Glenn lined her head with both arms, heaving on her knees with her brow bowed to the ice at Enterprise Center. She soaked in the standing ovation and let stuffed animals rain down around her.

Glenn received her third consecutive U.S. figure skating championship Friday, paving the best way for the 26-year-old’s first Olympic look. Alysa Liu, who completed second, and U.S. bronze medalist Isabeau Levito doubtless will be a part of her at the Milan Cortina Olympic Games next month.

Glenn’s jaw dropped when she heard her last free skate rating of 150.50, a season best. She broke down in tears and she hugged coach Damon Allen around the neck. Allen’s eyes widened as he stared at the screen.

“What?” he exclaimed. “What?”

Glenn then rapidly motioned for Liu and Levito to be a part of her in the kiss-and-cry space. The trio embraced in a tight hug. Glenn told her doubtless Olympic teammates: “We all deserve it.”

The group types what might be the strongest U.S. ladies’s staff in many years as the Americans will strive to end a long Olympic drought. Sasha Cohen was the last American to win an Olympic medal in ladies’s singles in 2006. No U.S. girl has received singles Olympic gold since Sarah Hughes in 2002.

Glenn dominated the short program Wednesday to give herself a more than two-point lead going into Friday’s free skate. Her clean “Like a Prayer” short program earned 83.05 factors, which set a U.S. championships report. It eclipsed the national championship report rating Liu set just minutes before.

Liu, the reigning world champion and Grand Prix Final champion, scored a season-best 81.11 during the short program Wednesday. Then she dyed a white halo into the crown of her hair Thursday before performing a Lady Gaga free skate program, scoring 147.80.

Amber Glenn wins her third U.S. figure skating title in St. Louis.

Levito raised both fists at the end of her clean program. Sitting with her fingers folded neatly in her lap in the kiss-and-cry, the 18-year-old’s eyes widened when she noticed her rating of 148.73 launched her into first place.

The last group of six rivals had seven national championships mixed, including two-time champion Bradie Tennell. After her ending pose, Tennell bowed her head to the ice as the group stood and cheered. She held back tears, kissed her hand and patted the ice. The 27-year-old received the U.S. title in 2018 and 2021, but had to withdraw from the national championships in 2022 because of a damaged foot that stored her out of the Olympics.

The 2018 Olympic staff bronze medalist hoped to return to the Games, but even her highest rating at a U.S. championship since 2021 was only good enough for fourth.

Three ladies — presumably Glenn, Liu and Levito who all completed in the top 5 at world championships last yr — will lead the Olympic roster when it’s announced Sunday. Three males, three ice dance groups and two pairs will also go to Milan.

Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov received their second straight U.S. pairs title. Their mixed rating of 207.71 factors was more than 10 factors better than second-place finishers Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea, but Efimova and Mitrofanov are unlikely to be eligible for the Olympics because Efimova isn’t yet a U.S. citizen.

Amber Glenn reacts after her last free skate efficiency at the U.S. figure skating championships on Friday.

(Stephanie Scarbrough / Associated Press)

The Finland-born 26-year-old married Mitrofanov, a Wisconsin native, in 2024, but the ready period for citizenship after marriage is at least three years. The top-ranked U.S. pair that completed sixth in the 2025 world championships hoped for an Eleventh-hour miracle before the staff announcement.

Kam and O’Shea, who positioned seventh at the 2025 world championships, are in line to make their first Olympic look by ending second. Katie McBeath and Daniil Parkman jumped from fifth to third after the short program.

The pairs competitors was the only self-discipline at world championships last yr that the United States didn’t win.