United States figure skater Amber Glenn kicked off her 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics with a gold medal win in the team event. She helped lead Team USA to victory in her Winter Games debut, resulting in her first Olympic medal.
Glenn, however, faltered in the individual short program. She committed a critical error in her routine, resulting in a significant loss of points. The 26-year-old finished 13th, which qualified her for the free skate.
Glenn bounced back in the medal event. She turned in her best routine of the season in the free skate to score 147.52 points. This brought her tally to 214.91, which was enough for fifth place.
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More than her talent on the ice, however, Glenn was also recognized for her actions during the competition. One moment that stood out was during the free skate when she came to one of her competitors’ aid.
Japan’s Kaori Sakamoto was overcome with emotion after finishing second behind the United States’ Alysa Liu in the free skate. Glenn comforted Sakamoto, who skated in the Olympics for the final time. The 25-year-old veteran previously announced her decision to retire after this season.
Glenn blocked the camera from capturing Sakamoto’s vulnerable moment. The Olympics recognized Glenn’s act of kindness and sportsmanship by nominating her for the Fair Play Award.
On Monday, the decorated ice skater took to social media to make a personal request to her fans. She shared a post from U.S. Figure Skating urging fans to vote for the award. Glenn also added a link to the voting page as she requested her supporters to vote for her.
The Fair Play Award is given to an Olympian who exhibited “standout acts of sportsmanship, integrity and solidarity” during the Games. Also nominated, among others, is fellow American figure skater Ilia Malinin.
The voting closes on Tuesday, so fans have one more day to make their voices heard. Glenn’s sportsmanship was on full display during the Winter Olympics, and her supporters can now help her take home one more title from possibly her first and last Winter Games.