Isabeau Levito captures maiden national title, winning U.S. Figure Skating Championships gold
The 15-year-old won the title going away, beating two-time champ Bradie Tennell by 10 points. Amber Glenn rallied with a triple Axel for third. The three women have been named for the U.S. Worlds team.
Figure Skating
Isabeau Levito is a national champion at age 15.
Levito burst onto the scene a year ago with a bronze-medal finish at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, but upped the ante in 2023 after a shining debut on the senior international circuit over the last few months.
The New Jersey teenager brought the crowd to its feet with a near-perfect free skate at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., scoring a 149.55 for a total score of 223.33.
She led two-time American winner Bradie Tennell by just 0.02 points after the short, but Tennell, 24, struggled on her second combination, using a hand to stay upright on a triple toe-loop. She scored a 139.36 for a 213.12 overall, earning her fifth career U.S. podium.
Amber Glenn placed third, hop-scotching Starr Andrews thanks to the lone triple Axel of the night, the crowd bursting into applause upon Glenn landing it. Glenn was shocked with excitement as her scores came up, a 138.48 to bring her to 207.44 overall.
The top three women have been named to both the U.S. World Championships team as well as the squad for Four Continents, which takes place next month in Colorado Springs.
Andrews finished in fourth (188.24), while Josephine Lee rallied from 11th to finish in fifth (187.68). Andrews' fourth place earned the pewter medal, making her the first Black woman to medal at the event since Debi Thomas won it in 1988.
Gracie Gold, a 2014 Olympian and two-time winner here herself, struggled in her free skate, scoring a 106.54 to total 173.98. She finished in eighth place overall.
Levito is the youngest first-time champion since Alysa Liu won the title in 2019 at the age of 13.
"I felt so proud," a beaming Levito told reporters later. "I felt like I haven't been my very best in the free skate this season, and I finally did it the way it I have been practicing... and it was at this competition. I felt good that I was able to present what me and my coaches have been working on."
Earlier, in the men's short program, 18-year-old Ilia Malinin took the lead with a 110.36, while 2015 winner Jason Brown is second with another triple-digit score, 100.25.
On Thursday (26 January), reigning pairs world champions Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier built a 15-point lead with an American record score in the segment, while three-time world medallists in ice dance, Madison Chock and Evan Bates lead after the rhythm dance.
The figure skating event returns to San Jose, the site of the 2018 nationals, which determined Team USA for PyeongChang 2018. Nationals was also held in this venue in 2012 and 1996. See a full list of updated scores here.
Isabeau Levito pulls it together just in time
Levito, as she noted above, found the right time to put out her best performance of the season, skating last in the final group of competitors.
While Glenn had surged with her triple Axel, she was some five points back of the short program leader, and Tennell left the door open with a collection of small mistakes in her free. All eyes were on the teenager.
Levito spoke about suppressing nerves after the short program, and she locked into that mode as she took to the ice for the free, her balletic program turning the arena still. She opened with a triple Lutz-triple loop combination, then would hit another five more triple jumps in addition to two double Axels.
"I feel so proud of what I achieved," Levito added. "Both of my score and the placement that I'm in. I'm proud to have collected myself [when I did] and done the program that I needed to do."
It's been a collection of medals for the teen this season, following a trio of silvers on the Grand Prix. She is likely to be selected for the Worlds team, which will be announced before the weekend is over.
While the road to Milano Cortina 2026 is anticipated for Levito, both Tennell and Glenn expressed interest in continuing on should their bodies allow. Both skaters are in their mid-20s.
"I'm in this for the long haul," Tennell smiled. "Even before my injury last year I knew I was going to continue. [After] everything that I've overcome in this past year, I know with 100 percent certainty that I'm going to be here for the next four years."
Added Glenn: "As long as I don't fall apart, we'll see what happens," she laughed. "I might not be able to have as long as seasons as I've had, so I'll probably have to be more selective with [competitions] and my training volume, but I have a lot of goals that I want to hit - in competition and out of it."
"I have a huge love for skating," she said. "And a love for accomplishing new things."
Tennell's silver medal had a silver lining: She called the medal the "one I'm the most proud of" having missed the entire Olympic season - and the Games themselves - with a foot injury. It's her fifth U.S. Championships podium.
U.S. Figure Skating also announced on Friday that the 2024 edition of nationals will take place in Columbus, Ohio.