Chock and Bates Win Historic Seventh U.S. Figure Skating Title
On Saturday, U.S. figure skating icons Madison Chock and Evan Bates made waves by securing their record-breaking seventh national title just ahead of the Milan-Cortina Olympics.
The accomplished duo, who are also three-time world champions, performed a captivating flamenco-inspired routine to a rendition of “Paint It Black” from the series “Westworld.” They achieved a personal best this season with a score of 228.87 points in the free program.
“The reaction from the audience today was something I’ve never experienced before,” Chock expressed, clearly emotional about the moment.
With their remarkable performance, they are strong contenders for gold in Italy next month. “I felt so much love and joy,” Chock added, feeling grateful for this experience.
USA Figure Skating plans to announce team selections soon. Emilea Zingas and Vadim Kolesnik placed second with 213.65 points, while Christina Carrera and Anthony Ponomarenko came in third with 206.95 points. It’s likely these two pairs will join Chock and Bates as representatives at the upcoming Winter Olympics.
Meanwhile, the men’s competition was also underway, but it saw a surprising twist. Two-time world champion Ilia Marin had a substantial lead going into the final rounds yet faced a significant setback that might cost him a fourth consecutive title.
The U.S. men’s team can send up to three athletes to the Winter Olympics, creating fierce competition among contenders like Tomoko Hiwatashi and crowd favorites Jason Brown, Andrew Tolgashev, and Maxim Naumov.
Looking back, Chock and Bates’ last Olympics in Beijing were marked by controversy when their gold medal was initially awarded to opponents who were later disqualified due to doping offenses. They ended up with silver, sharing the podium with their American team that also featured Kamila Valieva from Russia, who, at just 15, had been celebrated for her performance.
In January 2024, however, Valieva was found guilty of anti-doping violations, leading to Chock, Bates, and the U.S. being recognized as the rightful gold medalists from the 2022 Games.
Chock and Bates discussed their feelings toward Valieva during a recent media summit. Bates reflected, “It’s tough to imagine what she went through at such a young age. The pressure is immense, and I really can’t say what to tell her.” Chock added, “Life is short, and we all just need to be kind and wish each other well.” They emphasized the importance of every person’s unique journey.
After a long wait, Chock and Bates finally received their rightful Olympic gold during a ceremony at the Paris Olympics last summer, celebrating alongside their teammates in front of a packed crowd.
Chock and Bates have now become the first ice dancing pair to win three consecutive championships. Their victory in March further solidified their remarkable legacy.
