In MILAN — Subsequent to any Olympic athletic display, from preliminary rounds to award ceremonies, competitors are required to navigate the designated “mixed zone” — a complex media area filled with cameras, recording devices, illumination, and smartphones, all directed squarely at them.
During an instance of victory, this likely resembles a magnificent procession. However, when one’s aspirations have just crumbled before their eyes, repeatedly revisiting the defeat can feel like an extraordinary torment.
Madison Chock and Evan Bates secured the silver medal during Wednesday evening’s Olympic ice dance event, yet within the mixed zone, their experience suggested a gold medal slip. They moved from one media checkpoint to the next, fulfilling their press duties, their silver medals draped around their necks, eyes glistening with unshed tears, striving — with immense difficulty — to control their sorrow.
“It certainly carries a touch of melancholy mixed with joy,” Chock articulated, her voice faltering thereafter. “Occasionally, that’s simply the outcome of circumstances.”
They had invested immense effort into preparing for this occasion. Their collaboration as partners spanned 15 years, followed by two years as a married couple. They dedicated innumerable early mornings and late nights across ice rinks globally, participating in four Olympic Games side-by-side. They were on the verge of conquering their ultimate goal… merely to witness another duo achieve it precisely as they prepared to claim their victory.
On Wednesday evening, Chock and Bates performed as the 19th out of 20 pairs. Their routine, drawing inspiration from a toreador and set to Ramin Djawadi’s rendition of “Paint It, Black,” captivated the significant contingent of American spectators present at the Assago Ice Skating Arena. Chock’s striking red matador-style cape/dress stood out as a memorable element of the night, and upon completing their performance, the pair embraced, acknowledged the audience from all sides, and repeatedly waved as they departed the rink.
As the results illuminated the arena’s monitors, Chock and Bates were awarded a cumulative final score of 224.39. This constituted an outstanding display — “a performance worthy of gold,” Bates later remarked — yet its supremacy lasted merely moments before Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron of France surpassed it with a score of 225.82. Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier from Canada secured the bronze with 217.74 points.
Frequently, a silver medal carries a poignant duality, signifying immense proximity to gold only to narrowly miss it. Traversing the mixed zone, the couple appeared to be grappling with the recent outcome, reflecting on how their extensive training spanning decades and numerous championships culminated just shy of the ultimate top spot.
“Occasionally, you might sense that despite executing everything flawlessly, the outcome doesn’t favor you,” Bates stated. “Such is the nature of existence and competitive activity … We believed we were incredibly near.”
A notable divergence existed between them and their fellow medal winners. Gilles and Poirier displayed profound excitement, delighting in the elation of an unforeseen elevated placement. Fournier Beaudry and Cizeron, each individually embroiled in notable controversies outside the rink, maintained a composed and serene demeanor, permitting themselves smiles but exhibiting minimal overt enthusiasm.
Even though Chock and Bates have been prominent Olympic figures for more than ten years, their rise to the pinnacle of ice dance has occurred solely since the Beijing Games. They currently hold titles as both the World and Grand Prix Final champions three times over, and are the seven-time reigning U.S. champions. As part of the U.S. team, they have secured gold medals on two occasions, most recently this preceding Sunday. Prior to Wednesday evening, they had not individually earned their own Olympic medals.
“We fulfilled every objective we aimed for,” Chock affirmed. “There was nothing further within our capacity to do, nor anything we would alter.”
Slightly lower in the overall rankings, four American athletes participating in their initial Olympic Games achieved commendable placements.
Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko, performing to excerpts from “Perfume: The Story of a Murderer,” concluded their Olympic run in 11th place with a cumulative score of 197.62. Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik, presenting a routine to Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet Op. 64, achieved a combined score of 206.72, securing an unexpected fifth position.
“Honestly, this is unbelievable. To be among the top five at the Olympics is utterly astonishing. Had someone informed me precisely one year ago that I would place in the top five at the Olympics, I would have responded, ‘No, that’s false. It’s an outright fabrication.’ Therefore, I am genuinely delighted to be present and to have achieved this outcome.”
