U.S. Figure Skating Championships 2024: Armed with triple Axel, Amber Glenn wins first national title as Isabeau Levito falls to third 

At the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, 23-year-old Amber Glenn won a national title for the first time in her career - even when she thought it had slipped through her fingers.

Glenn’s skate Friday night (26 January) was far from perfect in Columbus, Ohio, but the highs outweighed the lows, with Glenn hitting her triple Axel beautifully early in the program, and then fighting through several jumping errors to score a 210.46 (135.48) overall.

But after Glenn's minor errors came a slew of them from short program leader and reigning national champion Isabeau Levito, who fell three times in her free to finish in third place overall with a 200.68.

Fifteen-year-old Josephine Lee had the skate of the night, winning the free (138.85) to jump from fifth to claim silver with a 204.13.

Glenn slumped to the ground as Levito, who skated last on the evening, saw her scores come through, giving Amber her first-ever national title after podium finishes last year (third) and 2021 (second).

“It’s absolutely incredible to have this experience," Glenn said after receiving the gold around her neck. "It’s still not real to me, to be honest. I’m kind of getting the same feelings as I did at Skate America (when she won bronze in 2022) that this is such a huge success for me, but also knowing that I’m capable of so much more.

"People in practice see it all the time and I’ve done it in competition, so it’s a mix of being extremely grateful for this result while also knowing I can be do much better.”

Glenn will lead the USA women's team at Four Continents next week in Shanghai, an event that Levito has opted out of.

Isabeau Levito: 'This is such a tough event'

Several skaters earned season’s best scores. Lee was chief among them, her free skate featuring seven triples, helping her to leapfrog Levito.

"I didn't expect so many people to be there," the teen said of the crowd at Nationwide Arena in Columbus. "I was told before I skated that it was going to be a sold out stadium, but I didn't actually expect it to be like that until I came here. I remember walking out when the second group was going on and I was just like, 'How am I going to do this? I can't do this because there's so many people.' But then when I went on the ice, it didn't feel as big."

Sarah Everhardt used clean jumping technique to claimed third in the free skate and go fourth overall, hitting a 193.37. This was her first American nationals as a senior, giving the 17-year-old skater a great foundation to build on.

Levito fell on the back end of her opening combination and never truly recovered. She'd fall on her final two jumps of the program, as well: A triple flip and triple loop, dissolving her chance at back-to-back national titles.

"I’m really disappointed in my skate today, but it’s all a learning experience," the 16-year-old said. "This is such a tough event and it’s so intense, and we all felt that tonight."

Clare Seo finished fifth with a 187.56, while Starr Andrews was sixth at 185.49 and Lindsay Thorngren seventh with a 180.98.