Amber Glenn paid tribute to her late grandmother after her record-breaking performance at the US Figure Skating Championships, which is currently underway in St. Louis, Missouri. Glenn was a driving force in front of the packed arena, thundering to a record-setting 83.05, leading the women’s short program.
Glenn not only set the highest women’s short program score in National history, but also lowered the record scored by her fellow contender Alysa Liu, who soared to 81.11 just minutes ago.
Amber Glenn Pays Emotional Tribute to Her Late Grandmother at US Figure Skating Championships
Glenn, the two-time and reigning US champion, nailed a clean triple Axel, bringing the crowd to the edge of their seats. She let out a first pump in the end and felt a rush of emotions as she tackled Liu’s record time like an expert. Former US champion, Isabeau Levito, rounded out the podium with 75.72.
The six-time ISU Grand Prix medalist sat for a post-event conference, where she emotionally talked about breaking down in tears on the rink, remembering her grandmother, who tragically passed away in 2025. She also revealed that she could feel her grandmother’s presence, which helped her handle her nerves in the high-intensity environment.
Paying tribute to her late family member, she said:
“I felt just like something with me, and I started crying before I even skated. My grandma passed last year, and she was with me from day one in my skating. I just felt it today, and I’m not usually one of those people that says that, but I just felt like I had something helping me today through the nerves. And I feel like that presence is there with me.”
Glenn’s grandmother, Barbara Glenn, who was a mainstay at the sidelines, died from natural causes shortly after a plane crash took several lives from the figure skating community in March 2025. The back-to-back setbacks made it difficult for the 26-year-old to cope, thus hampering her training and competitions.
READ MORE: Amber Glenn Breaks Down After Historic Short Program at U.S. Figure Skating Championships 2026
Glenn was in contention at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships after the slew of tragedies in her life. Despite being undefeated in the 2024-25 season, she faltered in her jump and later cited that her shoulder was ahead of her on the Axel. She finished ninth in the women’s short program, sitting third among the three US women, trailing Liu and Levito.
The two-time US champion was in Japan following the World Championships, performing at the Stars on Ice tour in Osaka and Sapporo. She joined Levito, Ilia Malinin, Jason Brown, and others to perform as a cast member for the tour’s Japan performances, setting her footing for the 2026 Winter Games.