She is the first U.S. figure skater in 14 years to take home the gold at the Grand Prix Final. By James Factora December 16, 2024 X Email Getty Images All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission. Sign up for The Agenda — Them’s […]
All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Sign up for The Agenda — Them’s news and politics newsletter, delivered to your inbox every Thursday.
Out bisexual and pansexual figure skater Amber Glenn has won the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final, one of the world’s most prestigious events for the sport. She is the first American to take home the gold at the event in 14 years, per ESPN.
The event took place from December 5 to 8 in Grenoble, France. In addition to Glenn breaking records for the U.S., her participation was a personal record in and of itself. This marks the first time she has qualified for the Grand Prix Final after seven years of competing on the circuit, according to U.S. Figure Skating.
She first won the short program on the first day of the event, with a routine set to Janet Jackson’s “This Time.” In the final on Dec. 7, Glenn performed a whopping seven triple jumps, per the Olympics website, widely considered to be one of the most difficult feats in ice skating. In the end, she won a decisive victory, beating out her runner up, Mone Chiba, by 3.22 points, per NBC Sports.
In an appearance on the Today show on Dec. 16, Glenn said that when she won, she was “in complete shock.” She told the hosts that she’s “been on the Grand Prix circuit since 2017, so to have even made it to such a prestigious event, I was just happy to be there.” Not too shabby for her first time, we have to say.
Though Glenn said that she has long had the physical capabilities that it takes to execute those complex moves, having competed internationally since she was 13, she shared with Today that getting to this level of competition has required “prioritizing my mental health.”
“I’d get halfway through a performance and realize I’m performing for thousands of people on live TV and it would kind of scare me,” she said. “So I’ve been working with a neurotherapist and it’s been very helpful to stay locked in and also get to enjoy these amazing performances I get to do around the world.”
It’s been a career-high year for Glenn. Her Grand Prix Final victory wasn’t even the first history-making event she’s won in 2024; in January, she won the U.S. Women’s Figure Skating Championship, and became the first out queer woman to do so. NBC Sports also reports that she has won all four of her competitions this season, which also mark her first international victories. The outlet also stated that she has been the only woman to land a clean triple Axel, her signature move and one of the hardest jumps in senior women’s international events, during the Grand Prix season.
We love to see a bicon (pan… con?) winning.
Get the best of what’s queer. Sign up for Them’s weekly newsletter here.