Kaori Sakamoto Leads 2026 Worlds Short Program, Amber Glenn Redeems Olympic Slip

PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC - MARCH 25: Amber Glenn of United States competes in the Women's Short Program during the ISU World Figure Skating Championships at O2 Arena on March 25, 2026 in Prague, Czech Republic. (Photo by Joosep Martinson - International Skating Union/International Skating Union via Getty Images) International Skating Union via Getty Images Just over a month ago, Alysa Liu concluded the women’s singles competition at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics with a historic gold medal. This morning, the women took to the ice to begin the competition at the 2026 ISU World Figure Skating Championships.

While Sakamoto and Chiba dominated in the first two spots – creating a near six-point margin above the third-place American – Amber Glenn’s short program in Prague was a resounding success. Shaking the “monkey off her back,” the often inconsistent U. S.

Champion delivered a clean short program, capped by a successful triple loop: the jump that plagued her skating in Milan-Cortina. 2026 Olympian Isabeau Levito also delivered. Levito came home empty-handed in Milan-Cortina but brought renewed difficulty and power to Prague.

Levito skated to a season-best 72. 16, impressing judges with a new, highly difficult triple jump combination and her trademark elegance. In her world championship debut, American rookie Sarah Everhardt was impressive in the replacement spot for Short Program Results (Top 10) Kaori Sakamoto (Japan): 79.