Can Amber Glenn still medal? Explaining scenarios for 2026 women's final after short program mistake

Can Amber Glenn still medal? Explaining scenarios for 2026 women's final after short program mistake originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Amber Glenn arrived at the 2026 Olympics with expectations of at least competing for gold after winning three consecutive U.S. national championships, but her singles bid quickly took a hit on Tuesday.

Glenn missed an attempt at a triple loop during her short program routine in Milan, bringing her to tears and leaving her ranked 13th among all competitors.

Tuesday's short program wasn't a medal event, but it does contribute to the final scores that determine the three women's singles medalists.

Can Glenn still find her way onto the podium on Thursday? Here's what you need to know.

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Can Amber Glenn still medal?

Glenn enters Thursday's free skate routine ranked 13th following her short program mishap. History says her chances of getting a score that pushes her into the top three, or even close, are slim. 

Here's a look at where each women's singles medalist from the last seven winter games ranked after their short program routine:

Over the last seven Winter Olympics, no woman has finished lower than fourth in the short program and gone on to win a medal. Since Glenn finished 13th, her chances are distant, even with the free skate offering more points.

This year's men's singles competition might offer some more hope. The medalists finished fifth, second and ninth, respectively, in short program. 

Glenn already has a gold medal through an American win in the team portion of Olympic figure skating, but such strong performances by the competitors ahead of her -- including teammate Alysa Liu -- have put her in a major hole in her chase for another. In all likelihood, a dominant showing by Glenn would have to be accompanied by total collapses from a few skaters ahead of her in the standings for her to make the podium.

MORE:How old is Amber Glenn?

Olympic figure skating standings for women's final

Here's a look at the 24 skaters who advanced to the women's final and their short program scores:

MORE:Full details on Amber Glenn's short program misstep

Amber Glenn's short program mistake

Glenn impressed for much of her short program routine, but the margin is thin on the biggest stage in the world. She couldn't complete a triple loop near the end of her routine, only completing two rotations, which earned her a zero for the jump.

The ending of Amber Glenn's short program. pic.twitter.com/CWK6kLWEyx

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) February 17, 2026

After the mishap, Glenn was visibly emotional and ranked 13th out of 29 skaters, including third out of three Americans in the competition.

MORE: Meet star U.S. figure skaters Amber Glenn, Alysa Liu and Isabeau Levito

Why did Amber Glenn get a zero?

Glenn was required to do a triple loop at that point in her routine but only completed two rotations, so her attempt was ruled an "invalid element" by the judges.

The missed triple loop didn't give her a zero for her entire routine, which was otherwise strong, but it meant she couldn't earn any points for that part of her routine. 

With the margin so small between Glenn and the other top skaters, a zero for just one element made a major difference. Glenn finished 13th among 29 short program competitors, more than 11 points out of the lead and more than nine points out of third.