Ami Nakai Tops Short Program as amber glenn's Triple Loop Error Ends Medal Hopes
Japan seized control of the women's figure skating short program at Milan-Cortina 2026, with 17-year-old Ami Nakai producing a season-best performance to lead the field. The night's drama was defined both by Nakai's composed excellence and by a heartbreaking error for American veteran amber glenn, who missed a jump and slides well out of medal contention. The free skate is set for Thursday evening (ET), when the top 24 skaters will battle for Olympic medals.
Nakai's surge: clean lines and a season-best score
Nakai delivered a confident, technically demanding routine that included a soaring triple axel and other clean jump combinations, earning a season-best 78. 71 and the top spot on the leaderboard. The teenager—one of the youngest contenders in a 29-skater field—skated with poise under pressure, opening a clear challenge to more experienced rivals.
Japan put three skaters in the top four after the short program, underscoring the depth of their squad. Three-time world champion Kaori Sakamoto sits close behind in second place with a polished performance that mixed strong jumps and expressive presentation. Mone Chiba, last year's world bronze medallist, also posted a competitive score and remains in the hunt heading into the free skate.
Americans falter; amber glenn's mistake proves decisive
The United States contingent, eyed by many as a potential threat to Japan's dominance, struggled to translate ambition into clean results. Alysa Liu produced a rousing programme that thrilled the crowd and delivered a season-best score to place third, but she lost some technical credit when a triple lutz was marked as under-rotated, costing valuable points.
Amber Glenn's night ended in tears after a costly miscue. The 26-year-old opened her routine with one of the only other triple axels of the short program, eliciting a huge reaction from the arena, but later failed to execute a triple loop. That element was judged invalid and scored zero, a penalty that effectively eliminated her from medal contention; she sits 13th and will need a near-perfect free skate to climb back into contention, which is unlikely given the field and the top-24 cut.
Other Americans saw mixed outcomes: one contender was penalised with a lost level on a step sequence and finished outside the top ranks, while another skater posted a solid result but not enough to threaten the leaders. The night's results underscore how small execution errors can dramatically reshape an Olympic short programme.
Looking ahead: free skate and what to watch on Thursday evening (ET)
The free skate on Thursday evening (ET) will decide the medals, with the top 24 from the short advancing. Nakai, Sakamoto and Chiba will all fancy their chances to make history for their country after staking strong positions, but the free skate is long and technical, and standings can shift quickly when athletes open up their programs.
Adeliia Petrosian, competing as an Individual Neutral Athlete and coached on the start list by Daniil Gleikhengauz, sits fifth and remains a potential medal contender. The wider field also includes skaters marking final appearances: one competitor from Great Britain finished 29th in what is her final competitive event and will not progress to the free skate.
Thursday's free skate promises to be a night of high drama. Athletes who kept their nerves and delivered clean short programmes will have the advantage, but the door remains open for bold moves and recovery performances. Expect a technical arms race—triple axels, combinations and fully rotated jumps—alongside the artistry that will ultimately decide Olympic glory.
