U.S. champions Chock and Bates dominated the Saturday event while dancing to “Paint it Black” by The Rolling Stones.
Seven-time U.S. national champions Madison Chock and Evan Bates took to the ice Saturday for the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics free dance portion of the team event and set a season-best score.
The duo danced to an orchestral rendition of “Paint it Black” by the The Rolling Stones.
Chock and Bates, favorites from the U.S. who haven’t lost all season, rocketed to the top of the standings with a score of 133.23. The pair earned Team USA the maximum 10 points for first place in their round.
It comes after they scored a world-leading 91.06 points to open the three-day team competition, where the U.S. is the defending champ, before a packed crowd at the Milano Ice Skating Arena.
The two skated off the ice to a roaring cheer and applause. When their score was announced, they were swarmed with high fives and cheers from fellow athletes.
Heading into the last day of the team competition, Team USA leads with 44 points, followed by Japan (39), Italy (37), Canada (35) and Georgia (32).
The Americans have been on a mission ever since the 2022 Beijing Games, where their Olympic triumph was overshadowed by a Russian doping controversy. The investigation into it held their gold medals in limbo for more than two years, until Chock and Bates were part of the squad that finally received them in a ceremony during the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
What’s next?
The figure skating team competition concludes Sunday with Pairs Free, Women’s Free and Men’s Free. Coverage begins at 1:15 p.m. Eastern.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.