2023 U.S. Figure Skating Championships scores, results
Isabeau Levito won her first US figure skating title at age 15, cementing her status as the new leading American to open the new Olympic cycle.
Levito, the junior world champion, scored 223.33 points between two strong programs in San Jose, California. She distanced two-time US champion Bradie Tennell, who was 19 months between competitions in 2021 and 2022 due to foot and ankle injuries, and scored 213.12.
After the short Thursday, Tennell was only two hundredths behind Levito, but had several jump errors in the freestyle.
Levito was the last to follow her to freedom and put on the most powerful performance of her young career, including the toughest jump combination of the entire field. For her 19 technical elements in her two programs, she did not receive a single negative review from a judge.
Moments later she was in tears backstage.
FIGURE SKATING NATIONALS: Complete Results | broadcast schedule
“I was just so proud of myself for staying calm and focused and doing exactly what I set out to do,” Levito, who has not finished on the podium at more than 20 events since November 2016, said on NBC . “I’m ready to bounce off the walls.”
Amber Glenn, 23, finished third and may become the oldest American singles figure skater to make her debut at a world championships in at least 45 years. Glenn botched her 11th attempt to rank in the US Women’s list to land a clean triple axel (record according to Skatingscores.com), but still improved from fourth place after the short program, passing Starr Andrews.
Last year, Glenn entered the national team as the fourth-placed US woman and hopeful for the three-man Olympic team. She placed 14th in the short program, unknowingly competing with COVID-19, then tested positive and withdrew before the freestyle.
In 2021, Glenn was a US silver medalist but was passed over for a spot on the two-woman world team in favor of the more experienced Karen Chen, who finished 35 hundredths behind Glenn at those nationals.
Levito, Tennell and Glenn are expected to make up the team for March’s World Championships, to be decided by a committee.
Gracie Gold, a two-time US Champion who finished fifth after the short program, slammed a pair of planned triple Lutzes and dropped to eighth place.
None of the three 2022 US Olympians participated. Alysa Liu and Mariah Bell retired. Chen is a student at Cornell University and may not return.
The Nationals continue on Saturday with the Couples Free Dance and Free Skate, live on NBC Sports and Peacock.
OlympicTalk is on Apple News. favorite us!
Follow @nbcolympictalk
