Madison Chock and Evan Bates are once again exactly where everyone expected them to be: out in front, in control, and closing in on another national title. The three-time and reigning world champions head into Saturday’s free dance at the Winter Olympic 2026 U.S. Figure Skating Championships on the brink of history, chasing a fifth straight U.S. crown and a record-setting seventh overall.
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In many ways, their story this week was written long before they stepped onto the ice in St. Louis. Since the 2022–23 season, Chock and Bates have set the standard in ice dance, dominating both domestically and internationally. Thursday’s rhythm dance only reinforced that reality. With a confident, polished performance, they posted a commanding score of 91.70, comfortably leading the field.
Behind them, Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik sit in second place with 85.98, while Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko are third on 83.29. Caroline Green and Michael Parsons (80.55) and Emily Bratti and Ian Somerville (79.43) round out the top five. With Team USA’s three Olympic dance quota spots on the line, the Milano Cortina Winter Olympic 2026 team is set to be named on Sunday.
The stakes are high for everyone chasing from behind. For Chock and Bates, though, the focus remains inward. Speaking after their skate, Chock emphasized the sense of enjoyment and connection they felt on the ice. We had a ton of fun performing today.
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Olympic Games: Veterans Thrive Under the Brightest Lights
She said. It really felt like we were very present and grounded, and able to enjoy the energy of the arena and the energy between the two of us. We felt like this was a great skate and a good stepping stone toward Milan. Skating to a medley of Lenny Kravitz songs, the duo clearly struck a chord with the crowd inside Enterprise Center.
They received the loudest cheers of the night and the first standing ovation of Thursday evening, feeding off the atmosphere as only veterans of their caliber can. The moment also carried historic weight. A seventh U.S. title would see Chock and Bates stand alone atop the record books, breaking the tie they currently share with 2014 Olympic Games champions Meryl Davis and Charlie White.
It’s another milestone in a career defined by longevity, consistency, and evolution. Thursday’s rhythm dance also featured a notable return. Olympic Games bronze medalists Maia and Alex Shibutani competed at U.S. Championships for the first time since 2018, finishing the segment in 10th place. Their presence added another layer of nostalgia to an event already rich in emotion.
That sense of reflection has followed Chock and Bates throughout the week. Now skating together at their 15th U.S. Championships, the two-time reigning world champions recently opened up about why they chose to push toward yet another Olympic cycle. The answer, they say, is simple.
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Olympic Figure Skating: In the Stillness Before What Comes Next
Their love for the sport hasn’t faded. I think our love for the sport is really still burning strong, they explained. That passion, they say, has been fueled not just by results but by the people around them, especially their families. One of the most personal moments in their rhythm dance comes when the music shifts to Kravitz’s Always on the Run, a section dedicated to their mothers.
We really love that part of the program. Chock said. I think at one point or another in all of our lives, our mom has told us something very useful. And so I think that song really relates to that. Bates echoed those sentiments, reflecting on how much his family has shaped his journey. I’m so grateful to my mom for putting me on the ice when I was four years old, he said.
It completely changed the course of my life. They come everywhere. I just absolutely love having them around. Despite their achievements, Chock and Bates have always approached their careers one season at a time in Olympic Figure Skating.
They haven’t made any firm decisions about life beyond Milano Cortina, even as they stand on the verge of what would be their fourth Olympic Figure Skating togetherand Bates’ fifth overall. On Thursday, as they took a quiet lap around the rink during the final moments of warm-up, the weight of that journey was impossible to ignore.
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