Amber Glenn and Alysa Liu fit together like two pieces of a puzzle. “It’s Type A and Type B people side by side, and having a little bit of both usually ends up being a perfect match,” Glenn said. Their bond was evident during the team event, and now, as Liu finished the Cortina Olympics with a stunning gold medal with 226.79 points, Glenn has shared her reaction.

Glenn herself is leaving the 2026 Cortina Olympics on a high note. After a disastrous short program that placed her 13th, she delivered her best performance of the season in the free skate. Performing to a medley of I Will Find You by Audiomachine and The Return by CLANN, she landed her signature triple axel cleanly and skated a strong routine that silenced critics. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough for the podium, as she finished fifth. Still, Glenn was delighted to see Liu take gold.

“I’m happy that my teammate was able to come in, do her best, and win,” Glenn said. “I’m so proud of her, and the message this is going to send to young athletes and parents alike is that if you consider your mental health and treat it right, great things can happen.”

Alysa Liu’s career has been a roller coaster. She has been in the spotlight since she was five years old, competing and honing her craft. At 16, she won a bronze at the 2022 World Figure Skating Championships in Montpellier, becoming the first U.S. woman to do so in six years. She also represented the United States at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.

The pressure eventually took a toll, and Liu stepped away from the sport in 2022 before returning in 2024 with a renewed focus on happiness and enjoyment.

News served to you like never before!

Prefer us on Google, To get latest news on feed

Prefer Us on Google

Ahead of the free skate, she said, “I don’t need a medal. It doesn’t change how I did, and I hope it doesn’t change how people view my performance either.”

According to former Olympic gold medalist Tara Lipinski, that mindset made Liu a leading contender — something Glenn referenced, having gone through similar struggles herself.

Glenn has spoken openly about battling severe depression beginning in the early to mid-2010s, just as she was emerging as one of the top young skaters in the United States. Her anxiety contributed to an eating disorder, sleep difficulties, and ADHD.

“I didn’t want to be on this Earth anymore,” she told The Athletic.

She has since overcome those challenges and leaves the 2026 Olympics with a team event gold medal and a strong individual performance, even though she narrowly missed an individual podium finish.

Amber Glenn admits ‘conflicted’ feelings after near-perfect free skate

For a time, Glenn sat atop the standings after being the first U.S. skater to take the ice in the free skate. She scored 147.52, with her only mistake coming on the final jumping pass — a triple loop where she briefly put her hand down on the landing, resulting in a negative grade of execution. Her total score of 214.91 was her highest of the season.

“So close,” she appeared to say at the end, likely referencing that lone error.

The crowd roared as relief and joy spread across her face. She embraced her coach and took her place in the leader’s chair, where she remained for much of the event until Japan’s Mone Chiba surpassed her. Glenn later admitted she felt conflicted while waiting.

“Conflicted, because of course I want to see everyone do their best,” she said. “But when you see the scores you need getting lower and lower, it’s a little agonizing.”

Amber Glenn gave her best effort, and what she has achieved is highly respectable. She finished third in the free skate segment and 5th overall, 4.25 points away from a bronze medal. At 26, she is the oldest U.S. women’s singles skater to compete at the Olympics since 1928.

Looking ahead, she could next compete at the 2026 World Championships in Prague from March 24 to 29.