Amber Glenn wins US figure skating title after Isabeau Levito falls 3 times during free skate

Amber Glenn thought she'd thrown away her chances of winning her long-sought 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.”