Sure, Amber Glenn may have fallen short in her individual campaign at the 2026 Winter Olympics, finishing 13th, but she still managed to earn respect. Despite the disappointment, Glenn’s sportsmanship shone as she praised Olympic debutant Mone Chiba, who narrowly missed out on a medal. And now, during the 2026 ISU World Figure Skating Championships, a rival’s heartfelt words about that moment have left Glenn in tears.

Following the short program, Kaori Sakamoto, Chiba, and Glenn all attended a press conference, where the American’s sportsmanship became a talking point. And Sakamoto, who was comforted and protected by Glenn during the Milan Olympics, had nothing but love to show, which left the American teary-eyed.

“I think Amber has done many things for the sport,” Sakamoto said in the press conference. “Every competition, she reassures me and praises me. Usually, in our sport, as rivals, we tend not to get too close. But I think Amber broke the stereotype that in figure skating, you have to act as formidable rivals and not speak to each other before competing.

“I think having someone who helps foster and create that atmosphere helps me feel stronger. I think I speak for all the Japanese skaters when I say that we are all grateful. When she finds someone in trouble, she thinks about how she can help.”

For the unversed, Kaori Sakamoto was all set to take home the gold in her final Olympics when she made an uncharacteristic mistake during a triple combo. It meant she finished behind eventual winner Alysa Liu, and the Japanese figure skater was inconsolable after the fact. However, when a camera crew attempted to get a close-up of Sakamoto crying, Glenn stepped up.

She protected her rival, stepping between the camera and the figure skater before telling the crew to leave. That moment went viral, with Glenn praised for her sportsmanship. And it wasn’t the only time she showed that side of herself in Milan.

Mone Chiba touched on Amber Glenn’s generosity during the Olympics

In fact, after that, Glenn showed her generosity and kindness to Mone Chiba. The Japanese figure skater was making her debut at Milano Cortina, and after an impressive run, she finished fourth. However, while she felt a sense of accomplishment, a sense of defeat lingered as she teared up, having narrowly missed the podium.

As the Japanese skater later revealed, the 26-year-old praised her and lifted her spirits, giving her confidence for the future. And that has shown as Chiba currently sits in second place at the 2026 ISU World Figure Skating Championships.

And during the press conference, her praise was directed right back at Glenn for what she did during the Olympics.

“I’m grateful to Amber for that time,” Chiba said at the press conference. “After the free, I had mixed emotions. On the one hand, I thought I had done all that I could. On the other hand, I felt acutely that I could not get over that wall, so it was very difficult for me to reconcile with that.

“Amber came and reassured me that I did well. As an athlete, the lesson I learned was that we have to get up every time…I don’t know that it needs to be a necessarily beautiful story, but that’s what I keep in my heart.”

While Kaori Sakamoto and Mone Chiba occupy the top two spots at the 2026 ISU World Figure Skating Championships, Glenn sits a distant third. But regardless of how the rest of the competition unfolds, her impact on the sport is already undeniable.