American figure skater Amber Glenn competed at the Winter Olympics in Milan, contributing to the U.S. team's gold medal victory. Her individual performances in the short program and free skate were noted as part of her Olympic journey.
During the Games, Glenn addressed social media criticism related to her comments on LGBTQ+ issues and successfully resolved a music copyright dispute concerning her free skate program.
U.S. Figure Skating Team Secures Gold
The U.S. women's figure skating team, consisting of Amber Glenn, Alysa Liu, and Isabeau Levito, participated in the Winter Olympics in Milan. This trio, who refer to themselves as the "Blade Angels," aimed for success at the Games, with expectations that one of them might end the American medal drought in women’s figure skating, which has been ongoing since 2006.
The United States secured an Olympic gold medal in the overall team competition.
Amber Glenn's Competition Highlights
Amber Glenn, a 26-year-old three-time and reigning U.S. champion, competed in both the team and individual events.
Team Event Free Skate Performance
Glenn finished third in the women's singles free skate segment, scoring 138.62, which was 10 points behind Kaori Sakamoto of Japan. She successfully landed her opening triple axel, though with a non-clean landing.
Despite not feeling physically well during her performance, Glenn expressed pride in her "mental strength" for navigating mistakes. She noted heavy legs and tiredness during the skate.
Individual Short Program
Following a week-long break, Glenn competed in the individual short program. She successfully executed a triple axel. However, a subsequent triple loop attempt resulted in two rotations instead of three, leading to zero points for that element.
This technical error placed her 13th, more than 11 points behind leader Ami Nakai of Japan. After this performance, teammate Alysa Liu reportedly offered comfort to Glenn.
Individual Free Skate and Historic Mark
Glenn initiated her free skate routine with a successful triple axel. She completed her program, achieving a free-skate score of 147.52, resulting in a total score of 214.91. This performance temporarily placed her in the lead among competing skaters.
Glenn is the oldest U.S. Olympic singles skater in nearly a century.
Social Media Commentary and Glenn's Advocacy
Glenn reported receiving social media criticism and threats after commenting on the situation for the LGBTQ+ community under President Donald Trump. Glenn, who identifies as pansexual and is an LGBTQ+ rights activist, wore an LGBTQ+ pin during the team medal ceremony.
She later announced a temporary withdrawal from social media due to the online comments, affirming that they did not influence her performance. Glenn has previously discussed her experiences with anxiety and mental health and utilizes her public platform to address political topics, including support for the LGBTQ+ community.
Music Copyright Resolution for Free Skate
Glenn was involved in a music copyright dispute regarding the song used in her free skate program. Canadian artist Seb McKinnon, who performs as CLANN, publicly stated that his song "The Return" was used for Glenn's routine without his prior permission, noting his label agreement requires explicit approval for music licensing.
Glenn stated a "hiccup" occurred in the process and confirmed the issue was resolved, expressing interest in potential collaboration with McKinnon. She had previously used "The Return" for two years without incident.
McKinnon affirmed the resolution, stating his intention was to ensure artists' rights regarding consent, credit, and fair compensation are respected.
The International Skating Union (ISU) relaxed rules regarding vocal music in 2014, which has led to increased demands for compensation from artists. The ISU has been developing systems to address copyright infringement claims following a similar incident at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
U.S. Team Skater Profiles
Alysa Liu
At 20 years old, Liu is a former skater who initially retired at age 16 following her sixth-place finish at the Beijing Games. Her subsequent comeback resulted in the first world title for an American woman in nearly two decades. During her retirement, Liu engaged in personal pursuits such as trekking to Mt. Everest's base camp and studying psychology at UCLA. She finished the short program in third place in the individual competition.
Isabeau Levito
The 18-year-old skater has a personal connection to Milan, as her mother immigrated from the city. Levito has expressed admiration for Russian skater Evgenia Medvedeva.