Amber Glenn has rapidly become one of the most exciting names in the world of figure skating, and her triumph at the 2024 Grand Prix Final in Grenoble, France has firmly established her as one of the sport’s elite athletes.
At 25 years old, Glenn made history by capturing the women’s singles title at one of the sport’s most prestigious events. This victory ended a 14-year drought for American women at the Grand Prix Final, a competition that gathers the world’s best skaters.
Glenn’s win marks the first time an American woman has taken the gold since Alissa Czisny’s victory in 2010. This achievement is not only a personal milestone for Glenn but also a hopeful sign of a new era for U.S. women’s figure skating, a field that has struggled in recent years to produce world and Olympic champions.
Glenn’s recent victory at the Grand Prix Final was the crowning achievement of a standout season. She entered the competition with impressive results, including a win at the 2024 U.S. Championships in January.
The Grand Prix Final is one of the most prestigious events in figure skating, bringing together the top six skaters in each discipline worldwide. Glenn faced tough competition from Japan’s top skaters, including three-time world champion Kaori Sakamoto. Despite fierce opposition, Glenn stood out as the only skater to land a clean triple axel multiple times this past week. The triple axel, widely regarded as one of the most difficult jumps in women’s figure skating, has been successfully landed in competition by only a handful of skaters.
Throughout the Grand Prix Final, Glenn faced several challenges, such as cleanly landing her triple axel and managing some back problems. Despite the physical pain and mental challenges, Glenn finished in first place, ahead of Japan’s Mone Chiba. Glenn held off Chiba’s strong performance and claimed the gold medal with a total score of 212.07 points, finishing 3.22 points ahead of Chiba.
Glenn’s triumph also makes her the oldest woman to win the Grand Prix Final since Irina Slutskaya of Russia took the gold in 2004. Japanese skaters like Sakamoto, Chiba and Wakaba Higuchi are frequently considered the gold standard in the sport, but Glenn’s consistency and ability to land the triple axel helped her outshine these top-tier competitors. By mastering one of the most difficult jumps in women’s skating, Glenn proved that she can stand toe-to-toe with the best in the world.
This season has been one of firsts for Glenn. Her Grand Prix Final win, her first major international title, came after years of perseverance and hard work. Glenn has long been recognized as a promising talent, having won the U.S. junior national title in 2014 at 14 years old. However, her rise to fame was not as smooth as expected. Over the years, she encountered numerous setbacks, including injuries, struggles with consistency and battles with mental health.
In 2015, Glenn took a break from competitive skating to focus on her mental well-being. Upon her return, she found it difficult to regain the form she displayed as a teenager. The COVID-19 pandemic, however, offered her a rare opportunity to reset and refocus, during which she began working relentlessly on the triple axel, a move that had long been on her radar.
By late 2023, Glenn was able to successfully land the jump in competition for the first time, catapulting her to the top of the women’s figure skating world. Glenn’s triumph is not only a result of her technical skill but also a testament to her resilience and determination. After facing a number of disappointments, including missing the 2022 Winter Olympics due to illness and withdrawing from the U.S. Championships that year, she came back stronger than ever. Her ability to bounce back from these setbacks has made her an inspiring figure in the sport.
Glenn’s success makes her a prime contender for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, where she could become the oldest U.S. women’s singles skater in nearly a century. Her ability to overcome personal challenges while remaining one of the most technically gifted and exciting skaters in the world has made Glenn a beloved figure in the skating community. Her triple axel is more than a technical achievement — it represents her willingness to push boundaries, take risks and redefine what is possible in women’s figure skating.
Looking ahead, Glenn is focused on continuing her momentum. She is preparing to defend her national title at the 2025 U.S. Championships in January and is eager to build on her performance at the World Championships in Boston in March 2025.
The road to the 2026 Olympics will be filled with challenges, but Glenn is well equipped to handle them. Her Grand Prix Final victory has not only been a personal achievement but has also signaled that U.S. women’s figure skating is ready to make a comeback on the world stage.
Abigail Park is a Sports Intern for the fall 2024 quarter. She can be reached at appark@uci.edu.
Edited by Jack Fedor and Jaheem Conley.