Amber Glenn makes history as first LGBTQ+ woman to win U.S. Women's Figure Skating Championship

Amber Glenn wins the U.S. women's figure skating championship, making history as the first openly LGBTQ+ skater to win the title.

Amber Glenn has made history, becoming the U.S. women's figure skating champion for the first time in her career. This victory is especially significant as it makes her the first openly LGBTQ+ skater to win the U.S. women's title. After multiple podium finishes at nationals, including a third-place finish last year, Glenn's overall score of 210.46 secured her the gold. This was her sixth U.S. championship appearance.

Reflecting on her win, Glenn expressed her pride in being the first openly queer women's champion and the positive impact she hopes to have on young people who feel more comfortable in their environments at the rink. Josephine Lee claimed the silver medal with a score of 204.13, while Isabeau Levito, who was in contention for the top spot, finished in third place after a challenging free skate.

Levito's performance was marked by struggles and falls, ultimately costing her the opportunity to defend her title. Notably, Mia Kalin made history in the women's free skate program by becoming the first woman to cleanly land a quadruple jump at the U.S. Championships, despite not finishing on the podium.

On the men's side, Ilia Malinin put himself in a strong position to defend his 2023 title, scoring 108.57 in the short program. He holds a significant lead over the second-place skater, Maxim Naumov. Jason Brown, the former Olympian and 2015 U.S. champion, faced some challenges during the competition but remained positive, expressing his love for the U.S. championships and the fight to the end.

As the championships continue, the next events to crown their champions will be ice dance and pairs, with their long programs scheduled for Saturday. The audience eagerly anticipates the remaining competitions, with high expectations for captivating performances and new champions to emerge.

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