Three-time Olympic medalists Madison Chock and Evan Bates will not compete in ice dance this upcoming season.
“Beyond that, we haven’t even thought that far,” Bates told Rocker Skating. “It’s been so focused on Milan and the lead-up and all the work that we did. It was a lot, honestly. So now it’s time for us to take a breath, take a step back and not commit to anything too far into the future.”
Chock, 33, and Bates, 37, won their first Olympic ice dance medals in Milan — silver — in addition to helping the U.S. to team gold for a second consecutive Games.
They three-peated as world champions from 2023-25, then skipped this past March’s worlds as many Olympic medalists did after the long season.
Chock and Bates competed in each of the previous 15 seasons since partnering in 2011, winning seven U.S. titles, including the last five.
They got married in June 2024.
In April, Bates said their competitive future could come down to “how heavy the pull is that would bring us back.”
“To be at that level, it’s more than just a full-time job, it’s a lifestyle, it’s 100% full commitment,” Bates said. “Every decision you make is in service of that pursuit of being the best in the world. We’ve chased that dream for many, many years. I think we are giving ourselves the break that we’ve earned.”
With Chock and Bates absent, the top returning U.S. ice dance couple is Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik, who were second at nationals, fifth in their Olympic debut and third at worlds.
