The United States figure skating team established a formidable position at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, opening the team competition with exceptional performances that positioned them as frontrunners for consecutive gold medals. Ice dancers Madison Chock and Evan Bates electrified the Milano Ice Skating Arena with a world-record rhythm dance performance scoring 91.06 points to Lenny Kravitz’s rock anthems, witnessed by U.S. Vice President JD Vance and other dignitaries.
Their commanding performance was bolstered by 20-year-old Alysa Liu’s impressive return to Olympic ice, securing second place in the women’s short program behind Japan’s Kaori Sakamoto. The American contingent concluded Day 1 with 25 points, leading Japan (23 points) and host nation Italy (22 points) as the competition prepares to narrow from ten to five teams following Saturday’s men’s short program.
The American team’s strong showing carries additional significance for Chock and Bates, who await proper recognition for their 2022 team gold medal due to the ongoing Russian doping investigation. This unresolved matter provides added motivation for the three-time world champions, who also enter as favorites for the individual ice dance competition.
While pairs skaters Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea placed fifth in their segment, their solid performance maintained the American advantage. The competition intensity was highlighted by the emergence of French duo Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron, who nearly matched Chock and Bates with 89.98 points, signaling a potentially dramatic individual ice dance contest ahead.
The team event continues through Sunday with men’s, women’s, and pairs free skates ultimately determining medal distribution, setting the stage for what promises to be a thrilling conclusion to the Olympic team figure skating competition.