Madison Chock and Evan Bates are seasoned competitors. The duo helped lift the U.S. to back-to-back team titles and celebrated on the podium with Ilia Malinin and teammates.
“For each other. For their team. For gold.” The Team USA Instagram post crowned Madison Chock and Evan Bates as the first skaters to become two-time Olympic team gold medallists, a historic moment for U.S. figure skating.
They debuted at Sochi 2014 and competed in 2018. They finished fourth at the Beijing 2022 Olympics and returned hungrier than ever. “Our team is incredibly strong… I’ll be proud of them no matter what the outcome is,” Chock said after the free dance. Bates added, “It’s just a progression… It’s our mindset.”
They have shared a long journey on and off the ice. The pair began skating together in 2011, started dating in 2017 and married in 2024, about nine years together before tying the knot. Their chemistry shows in every program and it has driven their string of three world titles and Olympic success.
The weekend also brought tough news. Lindsey Vonn crashed during the women’s downhill on Feb. 8, just 13 seconds into her run. A helicopter evacuated her, with medics attending on site and took her for immediate care. Vonn had revealed she tore her ACL nine days earlier and still chose to race. Recovery will focus on medical treatment and rehabilitation before any return is considered.
The Milano Cortina Games roll on. Chock and Bates’ ice dance rhythm starts Monday at 1:20 p.m. ET and the free dance will decide medals on February 11. Men’s individual events, including Malinin’s anticipated quad attempts, follow later. Team USA’s announcement and that Instagram image mark a clear moment, history made, and more to skate.
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