Ami Nakai Leads Short Program as amber glenn Suffers Devastating Miss at Milan-Cortina
Japan swept the headlines in the women's figure skating short program on Tuesday, with 17-year-old Ami Nakai producing a season-best performance to top the leaderboard. Three-time world champion Kaori Sakamoto sat close behind, while American hopes were dented after Amber Glenn missed a key element and fell out of medal contention ahead of the free skate on Thursday evening (ET).
Ami Nakai sets the pace with a season-best display
Nakai, the youngest contender in the field, laid down a composed and technically ambitious program that included a triple axel and a triple lutz–triple toe combination, earning a season-best 78. 71. The clean execution and strong component marks put her at the top after the short program, giving her and the Japanese team a significant psychological advantage heading into the free skate.
Kaori Sakamoto, a multiple-time world champion, finished narrowly behind Nakai after a polished skate that collected high marks for presentation despite a slightly under-rotated jump. Mone Chiba, the 2025 world bronze medallist, also featured in the upper pack, leaving Japan with three of the top four positions after the short program — an impressive foothold as the competition moves toward the medals decider.
amber glenn's missed element ends medal hopes; Liu holds podium spot
What began as a promising night for one American turned into heartbreak. Glenn landed one of the night's other triple axels to an enthusiastic response from the crowd, but later missed her triple loop attempt. That element was ruled invalid and scored zero, effectively eliminating her from podium contention; she left the ice visibly distraught and currently sits well down the standings in 13th place, meaning her chances of medalling are gone.
Fellow American Alysa Liu remains in the mix, placing third after a rapturously received routine that nonetheless lost points when a triple lutz was landed a quarter short. Liu produced a season-best score and maintained a strong technical base, keeping her firmly in contention for a free-skate comeback. Other U. S. entrants placed lower, with errors and under-rotations costing valuable points against a tight field.
What to watch before the free skate on Thursday evening (ET)
Only the top 24 after the short program advance to the free skate, so the next 48 hours will be devoted to recovery and tactical adjustments. Adeliia Petrosian, competing as an Individual Neutral Athlete, sits just outside the Japanese and American pack in fifth and will be an intriguing name to monitor, coached in practice by one of the sport's most high-profile figures even if not listed officially on entry paperwork.
For Japan, the aim will be to protect their substantial lead and convert short-program momentum into free-skate consistency. For the Americans, attention will focus on cleaning up jump technique and taking advantage of the free skate's greater scoring opportunities. The free skate is scheduled for Thursday evening (ET), when medals will be decided and the early leaderboard could be overturned by big-jump strategies or unexpected mistakes.
Tuesday's short program delivered a blend of brilliance and heartbreak: a breakout moment for a teenager at the top, established champions holding shape, and emotional difficulty for a veteran whose Olympic medal bid ended in a single costly miss. All eyes now turn to Thursday evening (ET) for the final act in Milan-Cortina.
