Olympic Skater Amber Glenn Plans to Keep Competing at 26

At 26, Amber Glenn just became an Olympic champion, and she's nowhere near ready to hang up her skates.

The figure skater from Plano, Texas, won team gold with Team USA at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina. Now touring with Stars on Ice alongside fellow champions, she's still processing the whirlwind of the past two months.

"I never would have guessed that I'd stick with this and make it to the Olympics," Glenn told NBC Sports between performances. "That just goes to show, you never know, don't give up on your dreams."

That advice carries extra weight coming from Glenn. She spent years battling harsh criticism and serious mental health challenges before finally reaching the Olympic podium.

Glenn made history as the oldest female figure skater to represent the United States at the Olympics in almost 100 years. Her journey proves that athletic dreams don't always follow the traditional timeline.

"I think of how grateful I am for my teammates, that we all contributed to earning this medal and how uplifting they were during the games," she reflected. The team spirit at Milano Cortina clearly left a lasting impact on the veteran skater.

Why This Inspires

Glenn's story challenges everything we think we know about athletic prime and retirement timelines. In a sport where many competitors peak in their teens, she broke through at an age when most have already moved on.

Her openness about mental health struggles makes her victory even more meaningful. She's showing young athletes that setbacks don't define your ceiling and that the path to success rarely runs straight.

The fact that she wants to keep competing sends a powerful message. Success at 26 doesn't mean you're past your expiration date.

While she plans to make a final decision about her competitive future this summer, one thing is clear. "As long as my body keeps going and is healthy mentally and physically, I don't want to stop," Glenn said.

For now, she's savoring every moment with her Olympic teammates and letting the reality of her achievement sink in. The skater who once doubted she'd make it this far is now writing her own rules about what's possible.