MILAN, Feb 17 (Reuters) - Americans Alysa Liu and Amber Glenn left the short programme at the Milano Cortina Olympics on sharply different trajectories - Liu skating into medal position with calm assurance, while Glenn was reduced to tears following a mistake that dropped her down the standings.
Liu, the reigning world champion, floated through her lyrical programme to "This Is How It Feels" to finish third on 76.59 points.
Glenn, the three-times U.S. champion, opened with a soaring triple Axel - one of just two on the night from the field of 29 skaters - but doubled a required triple loop for zero points on the element, slipping down to a shocking 13th place with a score of 67.39.
Fellow American Ilia Malinin, who finished a shocking eighth in the men's competition after he suffered a nightmare during his free skate, stood to applaud Glenn, who burst into tears immediately after striking her final pose.
A distraught Glenn did not speak to reporters following her performance.
Liu said she was buoyed by the presence of her family and friends.
"A ton of my family is out there, and I saw them on the warm-up. I also saw them during my programme," she said. "It was a really cool moment, because they never come to watch like this. So and I'm really glad I did super well. I felt super grounded, and I connected with my programme on another level compared to the rest of the season."
Liu had announced her retirement after her Olympic debut in 2022 at the age of 16, saying she had lost her love for skating.
Two years later she launched a comeback.
Her gold medal at the world championships in Boston seemingly came out of nowhere and made her the first American woman to capture the title since Kimmie Meissner in 2006.
Both Liu and Glenn helped the U.S. to gold in the team event earlier in the Games.
When asked about climbing the podium in women's singles, Liu said: "A medal? I don't need a medal. I just need to be here, and I just need to be present, and I need people to see what I do next."
Glenn's heartbreaking skate came after what had seemed like an especially promising start to the competition, buoyed by a surprise message of support from Madonna, whose song "Like a Prayer" is her short programme music.
"You are an incredible skater, so strong, so beautiful, so brave," the Queen of Pop said in a video message. "I can't imagine that you would not win, so I just want to say good luck. Go get that gold."
Isabeau Levito, the third of the U.S. trio known as the "Blade Angels," was eighth.
(Reporting by Lori Ewing; additional reporting by Valentina Za; editing by Pritha Sarkar)
