Chock and Bates Take Silver at 2026 Winter Olympics

At the 2026 Milan-Cortina Games, U.S. figure skating duo Madison Chock and Evan Bates secured a silver medal with an impressive total of 224.39 points, scoring 134.67 in the free dance on Wednesday night.

They finished second to the French pair, Laurence Fournier Baudry and Guillaume Cizeron, who achieved a total of 225.82 points, thanks to their free dance score of 135.64. This was a significant moment for the Americans, as it marked their highest score to date, an important milestone considering their participation in previous competitions that earned the U.S. its 12th medal.

In third place, Canada’s Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier celebrated their bronze medal with 131.56 points in the free dance, landing an overall score of 217.74. Meanwhile, the second U.S. team, which included Olympic rookies Emilia Zingas and Vadim Kolesnik, placed fifth with a total of 206.72 points.

Chock and Bates entered the free dance trailing by just 0.46 points behind the French couple, hoping to claim their first Olympic ice dancing medal. Their routine, set to the Rolling Stones’ “Paint It Black,” culminated in cheers from the audience, and surprisingly, some tears of joy as well.

While Chock and Bates previously earned team gold medals after Team USA’s success, they had their eyes on the gold in individual competition. After their performance, they had to wait for Fournier Baudry and Cizeron’s routine, which ultimately tipped the scales in favor of the French skaters.

The event stirred not just excitement but also some interesting narratives. Cizeron, who won gold at the 2022 Beijing Games with former partner Gabriella Papadakis, faced controversy stemming from their split, which Papadakis characterized in a memoir as an unbalanced relationship. Cizeron responded by calling it a ‘smear campaign.’

On the other hand, Fournier Baudry recently garnered headlines for personal matters, notably a complicated relationship with Canadian skater Nicolai Sorensen, who faced serious allegations in the past.

In terms of competition, Fournier Baudry’s unexpected acquisition of French citizenship last year enabled him to join Cizeron, and they quickly rose to prominence, winning four out of five major events—except for one where they were bested by Chock and Bates.

The exhilarating performances at the Milan-Cortina Games kept the gold in French hands for this event, showcasing the talents and stories of both competing pairs.