Evan Bates penned a heartfelt note after his stellar Olympic campaign, which included a silver medal in ice dance and a gold in the team event. Bates also represented Team USA at the closing ceremony, an honor he received as a five-time Olympian, three-time Olympic medalist, and one of the most decorated skaters in the history of the Games.
Evan Bates Pens Emotional Note After Olympic Campaign in Milan-Cortina
Bates and his wife and partner, Madison Chock, were crucial in contributing scores to Team USA’s gold-medal finish, the second consecutive team event gold of their careers. The pair delivered a near-perfect performance in the ice dance event, skating to “Paint It Black” and scoring 224.39 points.
They finished behind the French pair, Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron, by just 1.43 points, following a controversial undervaluation by French judge Jézabel Dabouis, who gave them the lowest score, far below the overall average.
Keeping aside the heartbreak, Bates and his fellow figure skaters celebrated when Chock announced that he would be one of the flag bearers at the closing ceremony. He joined ice hockey veteran Hilary Knight on stage to mark the conclusion of the marquee event, the 2026 Winter Olympics.
In a recent Instagram post, he reflected on the Olympic weeks and expressed gratitude for the love and support from fans across the globe, as well as for the atmosphere in Milan. He wrote:
“We’ve been reflecting on the last few weeks and wanted to say… thank you. Your love and support mean the world to us and made these @olympics even more memorable than we could have imagined. From the incredible atmosphere in Milan to the messages of support from back home and around world – we can’t thank you enough. Grazie!”
Bates and Chock competed in their fourth Olympics together, pairing with Emily Samuelson at the 2010 Games.
The skaters paired up when Evan Bates’ former partner retired due to injury. Their chemistry became evident on the rink, and they quickly emerged as one of the top figure skating teams in the United States. Their partnership later blossomed into a relationship, and they got engaged in 2022 and married in 2024.
In an interview with Olympics.com, the 37-year-old shared that being a married couple helps him and Chock navigate the ups and downs, and that they use skating to strengthen their bond. He also said that the 2026 Winter Olympics would remain their fondest memory and that they would carry it with them for the rest of their lives.
Bates and Chock were contenders in 2014, 2018, and 2022, but never won a medal in the ice dance event at those Games.
