Team USA’s Amber Glenn breaks down in tears after costly Olympic stumble

MILAN, ITALY: Team USA figure skater Amber Glenn was left fighting back tears after a costly mistake during the women’s short program at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics.

The emotional moment came just days after the 26-year-old revealed she was stepping back from social media following intense backlash over her anti-Trump comments. 

Glenn, widely known as Team USA’s first openly queer female figure skater, saw her gold medal hopes take a major hit when a key jump in her routine went wrong, dropping her to 13th place heading into the free skate.

Amber Glenn falls to 13th after short program error

Skating to Madonna’s iconic 1980s hit ‘Like A Prayer,’ Glenn initially looked composed on the ice. She opened strong with a big triple axel and followed it with a solid combination pass, raising early hopes of a clean program.

But the routine unraveled when she doubled a planned triple loop, a costly error that made the element invalid and worth zero points.

Though she completed the remainder of her performance, the damage had already been done. Moments after stepping off the ice, Glenn’s disappointment was visible. She skated toward her coaches and broke into tears.

“I had it,” Glenn told coach Damon Allen.

“It’s not over,” he reassured her. Glenn finished the short program in 13th place with 67.39 points, putting her podium chances in serious doubt.

Japanese duo leads as Blade Angels medal hopes shift

The emotional skate came during what was supposed to be a major showcase moment for the American trio known as the “Blade Angels”, Glenn, Alysa Liu, and Isabeau Levito.

Pop superstar Taylor Swift had even narrated an NBC feature building anticipation around the three skaters. However, the night ultimately belonged to Japan’s Ami Nakai and Kaori Sakamoto, who surged into first and second place, respectively.

Liu currently sits in the bronze medal position heading into Thursday’s free skate, keeping Team USA’s medal hopes alive despite Glenn’s setback. It’s a tough turn for Glenn, who had recently helped Team USA secure gold in the team event earlier this month.

Amber Glenn limits social media after backlash

The difficult Olympic moment comes on the heels of a turbulent few weeks off the ice. Earlier this month, Glenn announced she would be limiting her time on social media after receiving what she described as a “scary amount of hate.”

The backlash followed her public criticism of Donald Trump and his administration’s policies affecting the LGBTQ+ community.

“When I chose to utilize one of the amazing things about the United States of America (Freedom of speech) to convey how I feel as an athlete competing for Team USA in a troubling time for many Americans I am now receiving a scary amount of hate/threats for simply using my voice WHEN ASKED about how I feel,” Glenn wrote on Instagram.

“I did anticipate this but I am disappointed by it. I will be limiting my time on social media for my own wellbeing for now but I will never stop using my voice for what I believe in.”

Amber Glenn defends political stance at Winter Olympics

Despite the online attacks, Glenn has made it clear she does not plan to stay silent. During a Winter Games press conference in Italy, she emphasized why she believes athletes should speak on political issues.

“I know that a lot of people will say: ‘You’re just an athlete, stick to your job and shut up about politics,’ but politics affects us all,” she said. “It’s something that I will not just be quiet about, because it is something that affects us in our everyday lives.”

She added a message of resilience for the LGBTQ+ community: “So of course there are things that I disagree with, but as a community, we are strong and we support each other, and brighter days are ahead of us.”