GRENOBLE, France — Amber Glenn has made a remarkable entry into the world of international figure skating, marking her place with a historic win at the Grand Prix Final on Saturday.

Making history, Glenn became the first American woman to clinch the Grand Prix Final title since Alissa Czisny’s achievement 14 years ago. In a surprising turn, three-time world champion Kaori Sakamoto finished in third place.

At the age of 25, Glenn is enjoying a spectacular breakout season, having remained undefeated this season. This victory caps off a year that began with her first national title in the United States back in January. Glenn expressed that adapting to standing on the top of the podium has been a challenge.

“I’m exhausted,” she commented. “It has been a whirlwind of a season, and I’ve struggled with this imposter syndrome. It feels like: ‘Oh, no, that’s not me; I’m not winning.’ I’m just thrilled that my hard work is finally paying off, and it’s an honor to be part of such a prestigious event.”

With the pressure of skating last in a field that included five Japanese skaters, Glenn demonstrated resilience, showing little sign of the discomfort she experienced during Thursday’s short program.

Her performance kicked off with an impressive triple axel, and despite a minor wobble during her free skate—where she doubled a planned triple salchow and under-rotated a triple flip—she maintained her momentum to finish strong. Glenn’s total score of 212.07 secured her first place.

Mone Chiba, a silver medalist from two Grand Prix events this season, finished in second place with a score of 208.85. Meanwhile, the world champion Sakamoto, who struggled in the short program, managed to recover with a powerful free skate, earning her the bronze with a score of 201.13.

The U.S. team has potential for further triumphs later in the day, as Ilia Malinin leads the men’s event ahead of the free skate, and Madison Chock and Evan Bates are currently at the forefront of the ice dance category.