THIS IS OUR ENDING” — AFTER A BITTERSWEET SILVER IN A SHOCK ICE DANCE FINISH, MADISON CHOCK AND EVAN BATES LEAVE THEIR OLYMPIC FUTURE WIDE OPEN. The final pose had barely settled at the 2026 Winter Olympics when reality hit for Madison Chock and Evan Bates — a silver medal earned after a dramatic and unexpected turn in the ice dance standings that left the arena buzzing. For the decorated American duo, the result was both triumph and heartbreak, a “bittersweet” ending to a campaign built on precision, artistry, and years of relentless pursuit. When asked the question fans immediately feared — retirement — their answer was careful, almost teasing: “not sure.” It wasn’t a farewell. It wasn’t a promise. It was a pause heavy with possibility. After multiple Olympic cycles, world titles, and a partnership that has defined U.S. ice dance for more than a decade, the uncertainty only amplifies the moment. Was this the final chapter of a storied career, or the calm before one more run at glory? As they stood on the podium, silver medals glinting under the lights, the future felt unwritten — and for now, that lingering question may be the most compelling twist of all…
Madison Chock and Evan Bates Win Silver but Say “Not Sure” About Their Future, Sparking Retirement Questions
Madison Chock and Evan Bates are undecided on their future after the American husband-and-wife duo won silver in ice dance at the 2026 Winter Olympics, falling 1.43 points short of gold-medal winners Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron of France despite turning in a season-best free skate.
When asked if this was their last dance, Bates candidly said, “I’m not sure.”
We’ve got a lot to be proud of and a lot to be grateful for because we’ve had an incredible career,” added Chock. “Sometimes that’s just how it shakes out. This is this story for us and I wouldn’t change anything.”
Milano Cortina was widely expected to be Chock and Bates’ fourth and final Games. Although the couple didn’t implicitly state they would retire afterwards, Bates said they “put all of our effort and emphasis to peak at this event.”
Across their 15‑year partnership, they have claimed seven U.S. titles, three consecutive World Championships (2023–2025), and competed in four Winter Games. After earning team gold in both the 2022 and 2026 Olympics, they now chase their first individual Olympic title.
“Immediately right now it’s really hard to say what the career plans will be, but TBD,” Bates added.
Chock and Bates fell short of the ice dance podium at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics with a fourth-place finish, but helped USA win gold in the team event. The pair won three consecutive world championships leading up to the Winter Games and performed both the rhythm and free dance portion of the team event here to help Team USA clinch its second consecutive gold.
All that was missing from their resume was an Olympic medal in ice dance. Chock and Bates turned in a season-best 134.67 in their matador-themed free skate for a total score of 224.39. After their performance, Bates fell to his knees and pounded the ice before sharing a long embrace with his wife. But they had to settle for silver after Beaudry and Cizeron posted a total score of 225.82.
“It was our gold medal performance. It was the best that we could skate,” Bates said. “It was a personal best score. It was a fourth performance over six days. It took a lot of mental strength and discipline to be locked in and to continue to go out and skate well and we did everything that we could.”
Chock, 33, described the silver-medal win as “bittersweet” as she fought back tears. When asked about being unfairly judged, she said they “put out our very best skates every time we took Olympic ice.”
“All four performances we had here at the Olympics, we’re very proud of. They were flawless for us,” she reiterated. “We couldn’t have skated any better and we’re super proud with how we took the ice, how we handled ourselves every time, and the rest is out of our hands. ”
Bates, who turns 37 on Feb. 23, said the couple would need time to process the results and reflect on the experience before making any decisions.
“When things settle we’ll be super proud and look back on our time here and be happy with everything that was up to us,” he added. “We really did our best.”
Only one figure skating duo has competed in five different Games together in Olympic history — Margarita Drobiazko and Povilas Vanagas of Lithuania competed in the 1992, 1994 , 1998, 2002 and 2006 Games.
