Amber Glenn Breaks Record at US Figure Skating Championships/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Amber Glenn broke the U.S. Figure Skating Championships short program record, edging past world champion Alysa Liu with a stellar performance. Glenn scored 83.05 points, surpassing Liu’s just-set mark of 81.11. Their performances set the stage for a dramatic free skate and final Olympic team selection.
Amber Glenn Figure Skating Quick Looks
- Amber Glenn sets new short program record with 83.05 points
- World champion Alysa Liu scores 81.11, sits in second place
- Isabeau Levito stands third after opening night with 75.72 points
- National championships are final chance to impress Olympic selectors
- Glenn performed to “Like A Prayer,” honoring late grandmother
- Liu returns from burnout with strong comeback performance
- Efimova and Mitrofanov lead in pairs with season-best score
- Olympic team announcement scheduled for Sunday
Amber Glenn Breaks Record at US Figure Skating Championships
Deep Look
ST. LOUIS – Amber Glenn delivered a breathtaking performance Wednesday night at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, setting a new national record in the women’s short program and narrowly surpassing world champion Alysa Liu. The high-stakes evening was filled with elegance, emotion, and fierce competition, all taking place in front of a packed crowd at the Enterprise Center.
Glenn, the two-time defending U.S. champion, wowed both judges and spectators with a flawless routine that earned her 83.05 points, overtaking Liu’s already impressive 81.11. The performance, set to Madonna’s “Like A Prayer,” was infused with Glenn’s signature power and artistry, beginning with a clean triple axel and capped by a dynamic combination spin that drew a standing ovation.
Her coach, Damon Allen, greeted her with a warm hug rinkside, wearing a maroon suit that matched Glenn’s shimmering maroon dress. It was a moment of triumph and emotion, as Glenn reflected on the memory of her late grandmother.
“My grandma passed last year and she was with me from day one,” Glenn shared. “I’m not usually one of those people that says this, but I felt like I had something help me today.”
Glenn’s top placement didn’t come easily. Just minutes before she took the ice, Alysa Liu, a 20-year-old world champion and Olympic veteran, had set the new record with her own elegant and technically sound routine. Returning to competitive skating after stepping away due to burnout following the Beijing Olympics, Liu is now making a formidable comeback.
Liu’s program, carried over from her world championship win, featured a soaring triple flip, a precise double axel, and what coach Phillip DiGuglielmo called her best triple lutz-triple loop combination of the season.
“I’m really happy with the lutz,” Liu said. “That was good. That was real good.”
Isabeau Levito, the 2023 U.S. champion and former world silver medalist, secured third place with 75.72 points. After being forced to withdraw from last year’s nationals due to injury, Levito looked polished and poised, skating to a medley honoring Italian film legend Sophia Loren.
“I felt really happy with myself that I did my job,” Levito said. “I feel like I’m in a really good place right now.”
These championships serve as the final opportunity for skaters to impress U.S. Figure Skating officials ahead of Sunday’s announcement of the team for the Milan-Cortina Olympics. Every performance matters, especially in a season where competition is razor-thin.
The energy will continue Thursday night as the men’s short program and ice dance competition get underway, adding to the Olympic selection drama.
Meanwhile, in the pairs competition, Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov opened their title defense with a near-perfect short program that earned them 75.31 points, a season-best performance that left them nearly eight points ahead of their closest rivals.
Their routine included a clean triple twist, synchronized triple toe loops, and a throw triple loop that spanned the ice. The crowd erupted in cheers as they completed the final pose, visibly moved by the flawless execution.
Efimova, born in Finland, and Mitrofanov, born in the U.S., were married in 2024 and have been awaiting a key decision on her eligibility to represent the United States at the Olympics. Though she received her green card in mid-2024, the U.S. government has yet to waive the mandatory three-year residency period typically required for Olympic competition.
“We’re hoping maybe a last-minute miracle might happen,” said Mitrofanov.
Following closely behind were Audrey Shin and Balazs Nagy with 67.67 points, Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea with 67.13, and Valentina Plazas and Maximiliano Fernandez, who remain in striking distance with 67.03.
“We really trusted each other,” said Mitrofanov. “The crowd was amazing. I was a little more nervous than normal, and I was proud of Alisa holding my hand throughout.”
With two more nights of competition and the Olympic announcement looming, the U.S. Figure Skating Championships have already produced memorable, emotional performances. Glenn’s record-setting routine, Liu’s poised comeback, and the fight for Olympic dreams have turned St. Louis into the epicenter of American figure skating.
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