US Ice Dancers Chock and Bates Earn Silver Behind French Pair

Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the United States won silver in the ice dance competition at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. The married couple finished just 1.43 points behind gold medalists Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron of France. The event wrapped up on Wednesday with the free dance phase, where the Americans delivered one of their best performances of the season.

Background

Ice dance at the Olympics tests pairs on rhythm, connection, and technical skill over two main parts: the rhythm dance and the free dance. Chock and Bates have skated together for 15 years. They are three-time world champions and seven-time U.S. champions. This was their fourth Olympics as a team and their first as husband and wife, married since 2022.

The couple already had two gold medals from team events, one from Beijing 2022 and another from Milano Cortina 2026. But they had never grabbed an individual medal in ice dance. In 2022, they placed fourth after a tough rhythm dance. Heading into 2026, many saw them as top favorites. They trained in Montreal and built a program around trust and years of practice.

The team event earlier in the week saw Team USA win gold again. Chock and Bates led the way there, skating strong in both segments. That success set high hopes for the individual event. But the rhythm dance on Monday brought a surprise. Judges scored the Americans 0.46 points behind the French pair, even though Chock and Bates felt good about their skate. They called the result a bit unexpected.

France's Fournier Beaudry and Cizeron have risen fast in recent years. They won world titles and entered the Olympics as strong challengers. Canada's Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier rounded out the podium with bronze. U.S. pairs have medaled in ice dance at every Olympics since 2006, a streak now at six games straight.

Key Details

Rhythm Dance Setback

On Monday, Chock and Bates skated their rhythm program clean and with energy. They hit all elements and showed great speed across the ice. Still, the scores put them in second, trailing France by less than half a point. The French pair had gone earlier in the groups, and their lead held. Bates later said the team stayed focused despite the close call.

Younger U.S. pairs also competed. Emilea Zingas and Vadim Kolesnik, fresh off a U.S. silver and Four Continents title, placed fifth overall. Their free dance to Romeo and Juliet music earned personal bests and drew cheers for its speed and drama. Another U.S. duo, the reigning national bronze medalists, finished with solid season-best scores.

Free Dance Showdown

Wednesday's free dance decided it all. Chock and Bates went with a flamenco theme to a cover of the Rolling Stones' 'Paint It Black.' Chock played the matador, Bates the bull. They nailed Level 4 elements on lifts, twizzles, and spins. Their curve lift scored 15.29 points, the highest of the night. The step sequence brought 12.08. Their free dance mark hit 134.67, a season best, for a total of 224.39.

The French pair skated last to music from the film The Whale. They flowed smoothly, earning 135.64 in the free dance and a total of 225.82. Canada's Gilles and Poirier scored 217.74 for bronze. The gap stayed tight until the end.

Chock and Bates called it four top performances in six days. They handled team event skates plus the individual ones. Emotions ran high after the final lift.

"It's definitely a bittersweet feeling at the moment," Chock said. "We have so much to be proud of. We've had the most incredible career, 15 years on the ice together."

Bates added that mental focus kept them sharp through the week.

What This Means

This silver ties Chock and Bates with U.S. greats like Nathan Chen and Meryl Davis/Charlie White for three Olympic medals each. They are the first U.S. ice dancers to win gold and silver at one Games, counting the team event. The result keeps America's ice dance podium streak alive.

For the sport, narrow margins highlight judging's role. Longtime pairs like Chock and Bates benefit from built-up chemistry, but new stars like the French duo show fresh talent can challenge. U.S. Skating now looks to the next generation. Zingas and Kolesnik's fifth place signals depth in the pipeline.

Chock and Bates join an elite group. Their journey from juniors to Olympic veterans inspires. They plan to reflect on the highs, like best scores and team golds. Bates noted life's ups and downs mirror sport. The couple wouldn't change their path.

The Milano Cortina Games continue with more figure skating events. Speed skater Jordan Stolz set a record elsewhere, adding to U.S. wins. Ice dance wraps a chapter, but the story of these athletes goes on.