Amber Glenn overcame a fall and her own doubts to win a maiden Grand Prix figure skating title on Saturday at the Grand Prix de France.
The American skater had the lead from Friday’s short program. That and the support of the crowd got her through a tough free skate in which she fell on a triple flip and put a hand onto the ice to steady herself on two other jumps.
“I didn’t feel that great out there today, but I really tried, and the audience really got me through that last half when I was doubting myself,” Glenn said. “The audience was really strong and really encouraging, so I really fought for everything I could.”
Photo: Reuters
Glenn posted the day’s third-best score in the free skate, but it was enough to win overall with a total of 210.44 points, ahead of Japanese skaters Wakaba Higuchi, who won at Skate America last month, and Rion Sumiyoshi.
South Korea’s Kim Chae-yeon had been second in the short program, but dropped on Saturday to fourth overall, one place ahead of 17-year-old US skater Sarah Everhardt, who was on her Grand Prix debut.
Home favorite Adam Siao Him Fa made an astonishing comeback to win the men’s event as overnight leader Jin Boyang of China tumbled down the standings.
Siao Him Fa, whose off-season was hit by an ankle injury, had been in eighth place after Friday’s short program, but top-scored by nearly 13 points with his Dune-themed free skate to take the overall win.
It was the third year in a row Siao Him Fa had won his home Grand Prix, and he did it with a score of 246.58, ahead of Japan’s Koshiro Shimada and US skater Andrew Torgashev.
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