, making her Olympic debut at the Milano Cortina Games, is striving to maintain the enjoyment of her experience.
Glenn, a vocal advocate for mental health and LGBTQ rights, was one of only two skaters to land a in the women’s short program on Feb. 17. This achievement would typically position her close to a medal. (The other skater to land one, , is currently leading the women’s event heading into the final.) Performing to Madonna’s “Like a Prayer,” Glenn then executed her triple jump-triple jump combination.
However, during her flying sit spin, she recounted the day after practice, she “tapped down on my spin, which I never do.” This caused her to lose balance. She explained, “My core wasn’t stable, and I was a little bit noodle-y.” Consequently, when attempting her triple loop jump, she was compelled to ‘pop’ it, completing only two revolutions instead of three.
“I’ve always been known for being open about my emotions, which helps people relate to me, but it also makes it difficult to conceal my feelings,” she stated. “And in that moment, it was soul crushing. Because I executed the challenging elements, and it was the simplest one, my favorite jump, that I failed to complete successfully.”
Such an error in the short program carries significant penalties. Competitors in the women’s event must perform a specific number of elements, or skills, including a triple jump. By only completing a double, Glenn earned no points for that particular skill. “It’s gone. You can’t go back in time,” remarked Glenn, who ultimately placed 13th. “You can’t fix it. I didn’t get to skate off like in other sports, where you make a mistake and you’re done and you just kind of [disappear]. I wish I could do that. Instead, they expect you to smile and continue performing as if you’re having the time of your life, when in truth your aspirations have just been shattered.”
Glenn has been actively working on preventing previous errors from impacting the remainder of her routine, her coach, Damon Allen, informed TIME prior to the Olympics. He noted that when he began coaching her, a poor start to Glenn’s program would often lead to an inability to recover, negatively affecting subsequent elements.
“I didn’t have any jumps remaining, so it wasn’t the most challenging part to complete,” Glenn commented regarding her continuation of the short program after missing the triple jump. She added, “I contended for all the levels I could” to maximize points for her choreography, spins, and step sequence. “During the team event, I made an error early on but managed to persevere until the end. That certainly demonstrated my progress over the years.”
When Glenn left the ice, teammate was present to offer support. This U.S. women’s squad—consisting of Glenn; Liu, who placed third; and , who finished eighth—has been garnering as much attention for their remarkably close friendship as for their skating achievements. Referring to themselves as the Blade Angels, the trio has connected over a shared ambition to disrupt the rigid, controlling environment that has typified elite skating for decades, where young girls, in particular, face scrutiny over their body shape and are subjected to strict diets with minimal influence over most career decisions.
“I didn’t encounter Isabeau until much later in the dining hall, but Alysa was immediately there for me, offering a big hug and comfort,” Glenn recounted. “I was urging her, ‘You go, enjoy, congratulations, please enjoy this, just go. You performed wonderfully.’ I wanted her to savor her moment rather than focus on comforting me. But she was unconcerned. For her, it was just another day, and I believe that’s what makes her approach to the sport so remarkable. She perceives it as not—of course, there’s pressure, but [for her] it’s sheer enjoyment.” All three skaters progressed to the free skating final on February 19.
Glenn has secured three consecutive national championships, yet the Winter Games represent the most significant competitive platform she has ever experienced. “I undertook every possible preparation for this, but nothing truly prepares you for an Olympics unless you’ve already participated in one,” she stated. “I have achieved immense progress. I never even imagined I would reach this point. Therefore, I must reflect and remind myself of that fact.”
The error on the jump, she clarified, stemmed not from nerves but merely from being off balance. Furthermore, her emotional response was not due to realizing she had forfeited a medal opportunity. “I was devastated because I lost the happiness and the enjoyment I wished to experience on the ice, to be able to say, ‘I fought for everything, I did everything I could,’” she explained. “That’s what I genuinely desired, and that’s what I failed to achieve. So that’s what I aim to do tomorrow. As a child, I always envisioned myself performing a spiral, looking up, and thinking, ‘I’m at the Olympics.’ That’s what I aspire to.”
