Amber Glenn’s individual Olympic competition began in a blur of tears. The three-time U.S. champion, who was a favorite, saw her medal hopes evaporate during the short program after misjudging the triple loop that left her in an unknown 13th place, and criticism followed. However, a few hours later, she delivered a performance in the free skate that showcased her unyielding spirit and immediately caught the attention of Kylie Kelce.

On her Not Gonna Lie podcast, the American social media personality was impressed by Glenn’s resilience, stating, “I think Amber [Glenn] is a great example of that; her execution last night was insane, and to know what happened in the short program…there were some speed bumps, and last night was flawless.”

The contrast between the two nights could not have been more insane. Glenn had successfully landed a difficult triple axel, but her failure on the loop left her score at a disappointing 67.39. That score placed her way behind the podium, seemingly putting her out of contention. What followed was online backlash as doubts centered around her.

However, coming to the free skate session, Amber Glenn was unrecognizable when she skated to “I Will Find You” and launched into a commanding triple axel. She kept her momentum throughout the program and scored 147.52 points.

Highlighting Glenn’s mindset, Kelce said, “And to score so high obviously with such a large deficit ahead of the free skate last night, but she still came out there and said, ‘I’m not going to lay down and pretend like I’m just letting the buzzards pick me. I’m going to go out there and fight my a** off,’ and she did.”

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With a total of 214.91 points, she ultimately finished fifth behind teammate Alysa Liu and a trio of Japanese skaters, but the performance she pulled following the initial setback felt like a victory of a different kind.

“I’m at the Olympics. I didn’t fall. No matter how the elements go today, I want to remember that I never even thought that I’d get here, so that, in itself, is an accomplishment,” Glenn said during the broadcast following the free skate. And the mental strength that the figure skater presented told a lot about her journey throughout the Milan Games.

Amber Glenn didn’t just perform, but she fought battles off the ice

Coming to the Winter Olympics, Amber Glenn became the center of criticism following her remarks on how the LGBTQ+ community is having a “hard time” under President Donald Trump’s administration. She also pointed out the tension back home due to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers.

And when asked about her legacy following the events in Milan, she had a direct response, stating, “I’m a fighter, and I’m resilient, and that you never know what’s going to happen because I never thought I’d even be here, and to be top five is incredible.”

There were setbacks, but it didn’t drift her away from her focus, which was to just compete no matter what.

“You know, I have a little bit of all that. I was really proud of the performance I was able to put out today. Of course, there were some small mistakes, but I feel like I handled myself really well. There were many, many things that I was having to struggle with to get to where I am today in that performance, but I’m really happy with how I was able to conclude this Olympics,” she said.

For Glenn, medals aren’t everything. Her unwavering determination made her battle every adversary she faced, whether it was on or off the ice. And she comes back to the United States with a team gold medal and owing zero explanations to any critic on the internet.