Glenn wins title at U.S. Figure Skating Championships

Amber Glenn thought she’d thrown away her chances of winning her longsought U.S. figure skating title when, after landing a dramatic opening triple axel Friday night, the 24-year-old from Texas fell apart over the second half of her program.

Then she watched Isabeau Levito collapse right behind her.

The defending champion fell three times during her own free skate, drawing an audible gasp from a rapt crowd in Columbus, Ohio. And when Levito’s score was read, Glenn’s tears of anguish turned to tears of joy. Her score of 210.46 points was enough to crown her the nation’s best for the first time, a full decade after she reigned as the U.S. junior champion.

“I mean, utter shock,” Glenn said. “It was definitely not the performance I would have liked to have had tonight, and I know both Isabeau and I are capable of so much more. But just the shock that all my hard work has paid off.”

Levito finished with 200.68 points, falling to third behind Josephine Lee, whose winning free skate gave her the silver medal.

■ Madison Chock and Evan Bates have become so dominant in ice dance that not even a sudden illness could stop them Saturday.

Two days after they began developing flu-like symptoms, the longtime figure skating partners took to the ice and laid down a free dance at the U.S. championships that was good enough for gold. Chock and Bates scored 215.92 points to easily outdistance Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko for their third straight title and fifth overall.

“I think Evan and I have always had a lot of determination and willpower,” Chock said, “and we thought, ‘Would we regret not going for it and just trying our best today?’ And when the answer to that question was, ‘Yes,’ we were like, ‘OK, let’s go make it happen. Let’s step out there and give it all we’ve got.’ We did that today and I’m really proud.”

Carreira and Ponomarenko actually outscored the reigning world champions in the free skate to finish with 210.04 points, while Emily Bratti and Ian Somerville leaped over Caroline