Madison Chock and Evan Bates performed a rock-and-roll rhythm dance that earned them a world-best score of 91.06 points, opening the team competition at the Milan Cortina Olympics. The American pair secured the maximum 10 points for their Lenny Kravitz-inspired routine while making an early statement.
Chock and Bates are favorites to win the individual Olympic gold later in the Games but will face strong competition from the new French team of Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron, who posted a world-best score of 89.98 points minutes before Chock and Bates took the ice.
“We’re not focused on that,” said Chock. “We’re just doing what we do.”
The U.S. team is in position to take an early lead with their win in the rhythm dance, coupled with eighth place for Utana Yoshida and Masaya Morita. The short program for women and pairs will follow on Friday evening, with Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea skating for the United States alongside world champion Alysa Liu.
“It was a great start,” said Bates, who along with Chock are the only team members from the Beijing Games to return this time around. “It’s always a great feeling to do it for U.S.”
The opening ceremony of the Olympics is set for Friday, February 6th, but early competition began on Thursday. The event will continue through the closing ceremonies on February 22nd. The Paralympics are scheduled to take place from March 6 to March 15.
Contributed by Aliza Chasan,
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