Armed with a triple Axel: Amber Glenn on making debut at World Figure Skating Championships aged 23

Amber Glenn has always skated to her own beat.

The American is set to make her debut at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships this week (22-26 March) in Saitama, Japan, at age 23 – some eight years after she first skated on the international scene.

“To finally make my world debut at 23 is something that I never would have thought possible,” Glenn told Olympics.com in an exclusive interview. Her qualification came after a bronze-medal finish at the U.S. Championships in January – some nine years after she was the U.S. junior champion in 2014.

“To be able to still be improving nine years later... to have that longevity,” she said, “[It shows] that just because you are 16 and haven't done something specific [in the sport], doesn't mean you're not going to be able to in the future.”

A big part of that improvement for the Texas native is part of what sets her apart: A triple Axel, a jump she added to her repertoire after turning 20.

“I take a lot of pride in being one of the few women that can do a triple Axel,” she said. “It is a very difficult thing to do as a grown woman... and as someone who has been skating for as long as I had to learn something new.”

Glenn continued: “I just kind of want to show that no matter what age you start out, no matter where you are in your skating career, you're going to be capable of great things if you really try.”

Amber Glenn: Getting the green light for Worlds

It was in 2021 that Glenn had her best-ever showing at a U.S. Championships, winning the silver medal. But with only a handful of large-scale international events under her belt, she was bypassed for the two-skater Worlds team.

In the mix to grab one of the three spots for American women for Beijing 2022, Glenn faltered in the short program at the 2022 U.S. Championships before announcing that she had tested positive for Covid-19, ending any chance at going to the Olympic Winter Games.

But the new Olympic quadrennium offered a fresh start for Glenn, who made a move from training in Texas to Colorado Springs, Colorado, where she began working with new coach Damon Allen. In October, she picked up her first medal at a Grand Prix event at Skate America earlier, capturing the bronze.

And after her third-place finish in San Jose in January, got the message that she would – indeed – be heading to her first World Championships.

“I'm absolutely thrilled,” she said. “I went to Japan this last year and during Covid two years ago and each time has been wonderful. I'm excited because I know that I will have friends and family there; I will have [that] support. And I get another shot to put out two clean programs.”

True to modern times, Glenn got green light that she was going to Worlds on the U.S. team via text message.

“I mean, I got the text - I was in the middle of dinner at a restaurant - and I just kind of slammed my phone down and said, 'Yes!' I was so excited,” she explained, laughing. “I didn't know when I was going to get the notification... so it's kind of [about] just waiting and waiting and waiting. I can finally say I'm a World competitor... I've been on the World team... And it just means a lot.”

Amber Glenn: Making more history with the triple Axel

While the triple Axel has gained more traction in women’s skating over the last half decade, only Glenn and Watanabe Rinka of Japan are expected to try the jump at Worlds this week, where the women will skate on Wednesday (22 March) and Friday.

It has potential to be a big point-getter: Eight (8.0) points for a rotated and landed triple Axel (plus or minus five points in what is called the Grade of Execution by the judging panel) versus just 3.3 points for a double.

What’s it feel like to land one?

“It's euphoric... an adrenaline rush,” Glenn described. “You just did something that is a very, very complicated, extreme thing for the human body to do. I mean, you're rotating in milliseconds and you're coming down with hundreds and hundreds of pounds of force and then to just land it and have it be just easy is one of the best feelings.”

While it’s the easiest one for fans at home to spot – watch for the skaters approaching the jump from a forward position before they kick one leg into the air to attempt the jump – it can be quite daunting for the skater themselves.

“Going backwards is the most comfortable way for a skater to jump,” said Glenn. “So going forward, it's kind of just like looking off of a cliff rather than keeping your eyes up. There's a lot of fear that comes with it and you just got to commit to it. You just got to, you know, overcome it... commit to the jump and try your best.”

It’s another symbol of what makes Glenn so different – and so special – as a skater. She likes doing things her own way.

“It was definitely a hard process. But I say I'm an old dog and I learned a new trick. So it is definitely worth the hard work.”