U.S. ice dancers Madison Chock and Evan Bates win Olympic silver, in a surprising upset

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MILAN — U.S. ice dancing energy couple Madison Chock and Evan Bates received their first particular person Olympic medal on Wednesday, claiming silver after two harrowing days of competitors in opposition to their French rivals.

It is a second of redemption for the four-time Olympians — and real-life spouses — who completed simply off the rostrum in Beijing, 4 years in the past, earlier than profitable three consecutive nationwide titles.

However it’s additionally bittersweet, as Chock described it afterward. The veterans and gold-medal favorites misplaced to the newly-paired Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron of France by 1.43 factors.

“We really gave it our all, and I wouldn’t change anything about how we approached each performance, what we delivered in each performance,” the typically-composed Chock instructed reporters by way of her tears.

“We really gave it our best. And that’s what we set out to do coming to these Games. So I think we have got a lot to be proud of, and a lot to be grateful for, ’cause we’ve had an incredible career, so well-supported by our families, and our coaches, by each other, and sometimes that’s just how it shakes out.”

Chock and Bates are amongst the essentially the most seasoned skaters on the U.S. crew and at these Video games normally. They helped Workforce USA win its second straight gold medal within the crew occasion final weekend, scoring back-to-back season’s bests in each of their applications.

However they confronted steep competitors within the particular person occasion from a a lot newer — and extra controversial — duo. Beaudry and Cizeron, the reigning European champions, solely teamed up final 12 months and proceed to face questions over their former companions (extra on that under).

Beaudry and Cizeron completed Monday’s rhythm dance competitors main Chock and Bates by lower than a full level, so the Individuals have been underneath further strain for perfection on Wednesday.

“The game is always on, and you should know us by now: we’re not changing anything,” Chock stated on the finish of the night time. “We’ve got this locked in, we know ourselves, we know our routine, and we got this.”

They delivered one other season’s greatest rating on their flamenco-inspired “Paint It Black” program, with Chock fiercely embodying the matador in a swishing scarlet skirt. However the final duo of the night time, Beaudry and Cizeron, swooped in of their matching teal outfits to knock the Individuals from the highest spot.

“It has a very particular taste, this medal,” Cizeron stated after. “It was a huge challenge. We went for it and we couldn’t be happier.”

Third place went to fan favorites Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier of Canada, who dazzled of their Vincent Van Gogh program (each costume and music-wise). The three-time Olympians left the ice in a tearful mess of hugs, figuring out they’d a medal ready for them.

The French battled drama off the ice 

Cizeron and Beaudry paired up final 12 months as a result of they every wanted a brand new companion, and people respective controversies adopted them to Milan.

Cizeron’s partnership with Gabriella Papadakis is broadly thought-about one of many strongest in latest ice dance historical past. They received two Olympic medals — most not too long ago a gold in Beijing — and 5 world titles earlier than formally parting methods in December 2024 with out a lot public clarification.

However in January, simply weeks earlier than the Olympic opening ceremony, Papadakis launched a tell-all e book describing their two-decade-long partnership (sure, they began as children) as deeply unequal. She accused Cizeron of being a “controlling” and “demanding” companion, and wrote of feeling “under his grip,” in accordance with translations from the Related Press.

Cizeron has denied her accusations as a “smear campaign,” and stated he put his attorneys on discover in opposition to additional claims. Papadakis has since stated she misplaced her Olympics commentary job with NBC in consequence.

“I use my experience to highlight a reality: as long as survivors are punished for speaking out, the sport cannot truly change or become safer,” she wrote on Instagram earlier this week. “As the Winter Olympics unfold, I encourage you to engage critically with the spectacle. Spectators have power, and the way we choose to watch, support, question, or look away helps shape the culture of the sport.”

At one level on Wednesday, the jumbotron on the Milano Ice Skating Area panned over a number of girls within the crowd with the title of Papadakis’ e book scrawled on their naked arms.

In March 2025 Cizeron teamed up with Beaudry, who beforehand skated for Denmark after which Canada.

Beaudry’s former skating companion, whom she remains to be courting, was suspended from the game in 2024 over accusations that he sexually assaulted an American determine skater/coach in 2012, which he denies. Canada’s Workplace of the Sport Integrity Commissioner banned Nikolaj Sorensen for not less than six years over “sexual maltreatment,” although the ban was overturned in June 2025 as a result of jurisdictional points. He has not returned to competitors, nonetheless.

Beaudry defended her boyfriend of 12 years within the Netflix docuseries Glitter & Gold: Ice Dancing, which premiered simply days earlier than the beginning of the Olympics.

“When they decided to suspend him, it meant that his career was over, which also meant that my career was over,” she stated. “This was extremely difficult because it was not only about skating, it was about my integrity, it was about his integrity. I know my boyfriend 100 percent. I know him. And we [stood] strong together.”

The survivor — whose title has not been made public — instructed USA At this time earlier this month that such feedback “create a dangerous environment for skaters who need to report abuse.” When requested to reply, Beaudry instructed the outlet: “We have no thoughts.”

What’s subsequent for Chock and Bates

Chock and Bates started their skating partnership in 2011, began courting six years later and married in 2024. Chock usually designs their costumes — and this 12 months, costumes for a few of their rivals too.

The 2 practice in Montreal, the place they stay with their two toy poodles, Henry and Stella, whom they delivered to the Video games in pin type for some conventional Olympic buying and selling. Milan is their fourth Olympics collectively, and Bates’ fifth total, placing them in a considerably parental place on a crew full of principally first-timers. Their youthful teammates say Chock and Bates have stuffed that function properly.

“I like to call them Mr. and Mrs. America,” Amber Glenn, 26, stated over the weekend. “They are absolutely incredible people and incredible athletes.”

After Wednesday’s outcomes, Glenn referred to as them “my Olympic champions.”

It was Bates who warned the U.S. crew that the ribbons holding their gold medals may pull off in the event that they jumped round an excessive amount of, stated Danny O’Shea — prescient recommendation that he instantly ignored.

Bates equally had phrases of reward for the youthful skaters on Workforce USA through the opening week.

“The depth is there and the talent is there,” he stated. “But more than anything, what I noticed about the younger generation is the spirit, the curiosity, the fearlessness. It’s the perfect balance of handling the nerves and just going out there with absolute joy and freedom.”

U.S. duo Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik, particularly, are seen as following within the couple’s footsteps. They positioned fifth on Wednesday.

In the beginning of the Video games, when requested about ongoing again and neck points, Bates, 36, acknowledged “there’s mileage on the body.”

“What we do isn’t easy and it’s very physical,” he stated. “We’ve been really smart and intentional with our training this year, limiting the number of reps on things like lifts that could potentially cause a problem.”

After their medal ceremony on Wednesday, the couple have been requested if the outcome made them wish to come again hungry. Chock shook her head sadly, whereas Bates stated, “not at the moment.”

Their future on the ice is a query — however their partnership will not be.

“The skating career is something short and finite, and the relationship is much, much longer,” Bates instructed NPR in October.