The 2026 Winter Olympics brought a tough moment for American figure skater Amber Glenn. Skating in the women’s short program, Glenn made a costly mistake during her jump combination and finished far below expectations.
The error hurt her score and left her emotional as she walked off the ice in tears. While criticism quickly followed online, fellow Olympian Alysa Liu chose to publicly support her teammate instead of focusing on the result.
Liu spoke with kindness and respect about Glenn’s journey, reminding everyone how much work happens behind the scenes. “Oh gosh, she’s gone through so much, and she actually worked really hard, genuinely such a hard worker and she’s overcome a lot,” Liu said.
She added, “I just want her to be happy. That’s all I want. ” Her words shifted the conversation from disappointment to understanding, highlighting the pressure athletes carry at the Olympics.
Alysa Liu backs Amber Glenn after emotional Winter Olympics short program
Amber Glenn, competing in her first Olympic Games at age 26, entered the event with strong momentum after winning the 2026 U. S. Figure Skating Championships.
Her short program was set to Madonna’s “Like a Prayer.” She opened well and landed a difficult triple axel, one of the hardest jumps in women’s figure skating.
But later in the routine, she missed her planned triple jump combination. The mistake led to zero points for that element and dropped her overall score.
After finishing, Glenn was visibly emotional. She cried while leaving the ice and again while waiting for her score. She received 67.39 points and finished 13th after the short program.
The result was painful because she had been seen as one of Team USA’s key medal hopes.
Before the performance, Glenn had received a surprise video message from Madonna.
The singer praised her skating and wished her luck, saying she believed Glenn could win. Glenn reacted with shock and excitement, saying she felt overwhelmed by the moment.
Later, there was also discussion around music rights involving her free skate song, but the issue was resolved after talks with artist Seb McKinnon, who said he was happy things ended positively.
Through all of this, Alysa Liu’s supportive words stood out. Instead of judging one performance, she focused on Glenn’s hard work and personal strength, a reminder that Olympic journeys are about more than just medals.
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