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Team USA figure skater Amber Glenn took to social media after she was noticeably verklempt after her disappointing short program at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Glenn, 26, shared an informational post about the effects of menstruation via her Instagram Story on Wednesday, February 18.
“Menstrual cycles can influence women’s performance in nuanced ways, affecting energy levels, concentration, mood, and physical comfort at different phases of the cycle,” the post read.
Glenn captioned the post: “Can also make you extra emotional during high stress situations…🫡.”
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The American skating star shed some tears after her short program landed her in 13th place on Tuesday, February 17.
Glenn started off her program strong, landing a dynamic triple axel, but later bailed on a required triple loop.
According to her post, symptoms like “cramps, fatigue, headaches, or hormonal shifts may temporarily reduce focus or endurance, while other phases can support strength or mental clarity.”
Courtesy of Amber Glenn/InstagramGlenn’s post was not meant to serve as an excuse for her underwhelming showing on Tuesday, as the post continued, “Many women perform at a high level throughout their cycle.”
“We’ll never stop praising women for performing on their periods,” the post concluded.
An emotional Glenn declined to speak to reporters in the immediate aftermath of her performance on Tuesday, but spoke to reporters after her practice on Wednesday.
“You can’t go back in time. You can’t fix it,” Glenn said of the missed jump.
Despite the misstep on the world’s biggest figure skating stage, Glenn expressed pride that she finished her routine. “I didn’t skate and get off [the ice],” she boasted.
“I wish I could go do that,” Glenn added. “Like, I have to go out there, and they expect you to smile, and they expect you to still perform like you’re having the time of your life when in reality your dreams were just smashed to pieces.”
As for why she missed the jump, Glenn said nerves had nothing to do with it.
“It wasn’t the pressure that got to me, it was just a literal lack of balance,” Glenn explained. “Like, I just kind of lost my balance for a second. And, you know, stuff happens.”
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She added, “I was a little bit noodlely.”
Glenn will return to the ice for the women’s figure skating free skate on Thursday, February 19. After entering the 2026 Winter Olympics as a medal contender, Glenn will need a lot to go right in order for her to find the podium.
“The devastation yesterday didn’t come from, ‘Oh, I lost my chance at a medal, Oh, I lost my chance at a medal,’” Glenn said on Wednesday. “I was devastated that I lost the happiness and the enjoyment that I wanted to have out there on the ice to say, like, I fought for everything I did, everything I could, and that’s what I truly wanted, and that’s what I missed out on. So that’s just what I’m hoping to do tomorrow.”
Alysa Liu and Isabeau Levito, the other two-thirds of Team USA’s Blade Angels, enter the free skate in 3rd place and 8th place, respectively.
