They had recently won silver in the figure skating ice dance competition, and now, only inches away, Guillaume Cizeron and Laurence Fournier Beaudry of France were stooping to win the gold medals that Chock and Bates so badly desired.
Madison Chock and Evan Bates says:
Chock and Bates traveled to Italy after 15 years of dating in search of a dreamy conclusion to a remarkable career. They had implied that it would be their final Olympic Games together, and it was Bates’ sixth appearance. The individual gold medal was all that left in a partnership that had seen them win seven national crowns and three world championships, as well as their second Olympic team gold over the weekend.
They were the clear favorites going into the competition after four years of intense fighting. They were just one spot off the podium and 1.43 points away on Wednesday night, but it was not to be.
They thanked Canadian bronze medalists Piper Gilles and Paul Porrier, as well as Fournier Beaudry and Cizeron, and politely smiled for pictures, but their displeasure was evident.
Chock described it as “bittersweet” but stated that she wouldn’t change a thing, despite her voice faltering and her face marred by tears as she spoke to reporters.
Her words, “We really gave it our best,” “And that’s what we came to these Games with in mind. We’ve had an amazing career and have received a great deal of support from our coaches and families, so I believe we have a lot to be thankful for and proud of. Sometimes that’s just the way things work out.”
Chock and Bates traveled to Beijing four years ago to look for a medal.
Although they had just won their third national championship and had won two medals at the world championships, they had never placed higher than ninth at the Olympics.
They had a chance and were among the genuine candidates for gold in 2022, not simply a medal. They succeeded. In a way.
The two won their section with a personal best score to assist the United States win a silver medal in the free dance portion of the team event, a competition they had been disqualified from in 2014 and 2018. The podium, however, was still out of reach.
The medal celebration was postponed during the competition because it was revealed that Kamila Valieva, a member of the Russian Olympic Committee’s gold medal-winning team, had failed a drug test. The official results would not be announced for almost two years.
The U.S. went from third to first after the ROC team had to remove Valieva’s scores. Two and a half years later, in 2024, the United States team was crowned Olympic gold medalists and presented with their gold medals at a ceremony in Paris.
However, there would be no medal in the individual ice dancing competition. They were eliminated from the competition due to a poor rhythm dance, and they ended up in fourth place. “We are disappointed we didn’t medal, but we are still proud of our career and what we have achieved,” Chock said at the time.
In the sport of ice dancing, endurance is frequently rewarded. Being together for years adds value since it fosters synchronicity, a visible connection, and occasionally a romantic one in addition to trust. All of that is abundant in Chock and Bates.
They persisted even though many believed that 2022 would be their last Games and that they might retire following the 2023 world championships. It appeared as though it would finally be their moment since nearly all of their top rivals, including gold medalists Gabriella Papadakis and Cizeron, as well as the top American athletes Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue, who had won the Olympic bronze, left the sport.
That was true for the majority of this four-year Olympic cycle. Winning three of the four Grand Prix finals, all three world championships, all three national crowns, and pretty much everything else, Chock and Bates have been the dominant force.
Before the contentious pairing of Fournier Beaudry and Cizeron at the beginning of the current season, Gilles and Porrier, the two-time world silver medalists, were arguably the only team who had been considered a genuine rival at that time.
However, Gilles acknowledged that they helped her and Porrier reach their full potential.
We need that friendly competition to be able to skate our best because, if we’re not pushing each other, what’s the pleasure in that? I grew up with them, and now they’re competitors. Why would it be enjoyable to simply be an easy chase? Gilles told ESPN.
They have also been designated as the American contingent’s emotional leaders and lifeblood. The two participated in the men’s free skate, the last part of the competition, with the rest of their teammates after winning each of their parts in the team event on Friday and Saturday and adding 20 points to the team’s ultimate score of 69 points.
As they awaited the final scores, Bates was spotted putting his arm around Amber Glenn, who had finished the women’s free skate segment earlier in the day in a disappointing third place. He was prepared to comfort her if they won the silver.During the team function, Glenn informed reporters, “We’re being led by veterans Evan and Maddy, who I like to call Mr. and Mrs. America.” “They are absolutely incredible people and incredible athletes.”
Ahead of her first Olympic Games, Glenn previously told ESPN that the two had provided her insightful counsel during the season.
“They’ve told me to take it all in stride and just enjoy all of these fun opportunities I’m getting,” Glenn said. “Even things that are exhausting, I’ll still be able to look back on in 20 years and be like, ‘Oh my god, I can’t believe I got to do that.’ It’s been great to be able to learn from them and their experiences.”
Numerous ice dancers from the US and other countries approached them to give consolation and support following Wednesday’s podium ceremony. Several of Chock’s training partners gathered over the rinkside barrier. They gave her a group hug, and she looked like she was crying.
“They’ve had an amazing career,” said Emilea Zingas, an American teammate who made their Olympic debut with partner Vadym Kolesnik and ended in fifth place. “They skated really well today, and I’m always in awe of [Chock].” They are my favorites, therefore I’m disappointed they didn’t win the gold. I would give it to them if it were my gold.
On Sunday, Chock and Bates shared the Olympic podium alongside Glenn, Danny O’Shea, Ilia Malinin, Alysa Liu, and Ellie Kam.
However, Chock and Bates had to return for the solo event the next day to begin their search for the final piece in an otherwise finished jigsaw, which included damaging their skates and necessitating last-minute blade adjustments.
Less than twenty-four hours after the team event ended, Chock and Bates were in disbelief on Monday night. The judges accomplished the previously unimaginable after a rhythm-dance performance that they were obviously pleased with. They gave them a lower score than Cizeron and Fournier Beaudry, who had been in one of the first groups to take the ice nearly two hours earlier.
“I didn’t see that one coming,” 1984 Olympic gold medalist Scott Hamilton stated on NBC following the results of Monday’s competition.
However, they kept focused on their ultimate objective and were not discouraged by any misunderstanding or irritation.Moments later, in the packed mixed zone, a determined Chock told reporters, “The game is always on, and you should know us by now, we’re not changing anything.” “We’ve got this locked in, we know ourselves, we know our routine, and we got this.”
The two were firmly locked in on Wednesday night while their mothers sat in the front row, recording everything on their phones. With a season-high score of 134.67, the pair took the lead after skating a matador-themed program set to a flamenco rendition of the Rolling Stones’ “Paint It Black”—she as the matador and him as the bull.
After that, they were forced to wait in seats designated for the leaders while Cizeron and Fournier Beaudry took the ice. Bates and Chock watched intently, holding hands. Fournier Beaudry and Cizeron let out excited screams upon hearing the final scores. Bates and Chock made every effort to grin.
The two did their best to contain their tears for the majority of the remainder of the evening, speaking to reporters, taking pictures, and standing at the stage. Their tear-stained faces frequently had stern looks. Even though they were disappointed, Bates told reporters in the mixed zone that he thought they would be “super proud” of their accomplishments one day. They were uncertain about their future in the sport, he continued.
Chock couldn’t resist giving a sneak peek at her signature fight, the one that has made her and Bates so successful over the years, after spending the majority of the news conference with all of the medalists sitting calmly and expressionless between Bates and Cizeron.
Chock stated that they did everything they could to ensure a fairy tale ending and that there was nothing more they could have done, if this is indeed the end of their adventure as competitive ice dancers.
And even if the conclusion isn’t as fulfilling or ideal, it might have to be sufficient.Every time we skated on Olympic ice, I believe we gave it our all,” Chock remarked. “We’re really proud of all four of our Olympic performances. They were perfect for us. We couldn’t have skated better, and we’re really proud of the way we behaved ourselves each time and took the ice. The rest is beyond our control.”
