Olympic Figure Skating Updates: Bates, Chock Finish Fourth in Ice Dancing
2/14/2022 5:16:00 PM | Olympics
• Beijing Olympics Site | U-M Olympics Coverage
Monday, Feb. 14
Michigan alumnus Evan Bates and his partner Madison Chock finished just outside of medaling in the ice dance event, placing fourth with a score of 214.77 -- less than three points behind bronze medalists and fellow Americans Zach Donohue and Madison Hubbell (218.02).
France's Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron captured gold with a world-record score of 226.98 points, beating their previous world record of 226.61 set in 2019, while Russia's Victoria Sinitsina and Nikita Katsalapov took silver with 220.51.
Skating to Daft Punk's "Contact," "Touch" and "Within," Bates and Chock earned a 130.63 score, with a 72.59 element score and 58.04 presentation score without any deductions, and temporarily held the lead until each remaining pair topped their score and pushed them out of medal contention.
It was Bates and Chock's third Olympics together and the fourth Olympic appearance for Bates. The pair's previous best was an eighth-place finish at the 2014 Sochi Olympics. They also placed ninth at the 2018 PyeongChang Games.
• Evan Bates/Madison Chock (Ice Dancing, Free Dance): 130.63 (4th place), 214.77 total (4th place)
• Stats and Video (NBCOlympics.com)
Saturday, Feb. 12
Michigan alumnus Evan Bates and his partner Madison Chock sit in fourth place after the rhythm dance portion of the ice dancing competition, scoring an 84.14 -- three points behind third place, currently held by fellow Americans Zach Donohue and Madison Hubbell. France's Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron lead with a score of 90.83.
Skating a routine set to Billie Eilish, Bates and Chock lost points when the latter stumbled during the compulsory Midnight Blues pattern midway through and only received a level two on the midline steps.
The ice dancing competition will conclude with the free dance, which Bates and Chock won during the team event last weekend, at 9:15 a.m. local time on Monday (Feb. 14).
• Evan Bates/Madison Chock (Ice Dancing, Rhythm Dance): 84.14 (4th place)
• Stats and Video (NBCOlympics.com)
Monday, Feb. 7
University of Michigan alumnus Evan Bates and longtime partner Madison Chock contributed big points to the United States' silver-medal finish in the figure skating team event, winning the free dance portion to capture the first Olympic medals of their respective careers.
Bates and Chock, co-captains of the U.S. squad for figure skating's team event after being passed over for the team competition in both 2014 and 2018, won the free dance with 129.07 points -- a new personal best at an international competition -- and bested the 128.17 score put up by 2021 world champions Viktoria Sinitsina and Nikita Katsalapov of the Russia Olympic Committee (ROC).
With the United States and Japan tied with 48 points entering the free dance, Bates and Chock's 10-point victory put Team USA comfortably in second place in the team standings with one event remaining. The ROC captured team event gold with 74 points, the USA finished with 65 points, while Japan earned bronze with 63 points.
Team USA claimed bronze in the team event in the previous two Olympic Games.
• Evan Bates/Madison Chock (Team Free Dance): 129.07 (1st place)
• Stats and Video (NBCOlympics.com)
