In a stunning display of athletic artistry, French ice dancers Guillaume Cizeron and Laurence Fournier Beaudry ascended to the pinnacle of their sport by capturing the gold medal at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics on Wednesday evening. Their victory culminated an ice dance competition of exceptional caliber, showcasing a podium of world-class talent.
The newly-crowned champions outperformed American spouses and three-time world champions Evan Bates and Madison Chock, who secured silver, while Canadian duo Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier earned bronze. Cizeron and Fournier Beaudry demonstrated supremacy across both competition segments—posting the highest scores in the rhythm dance and free dance—despite having partnered merely last November.
Their championship performance featured a technically impeccable rhythm dance set to Madonna’s ‘Vogue,’ followed by an emotionally resonant free dance choreographed to the soundtrack of ‘The Whale.’ The French pair edged out their American rivals by a razor-thin margin of 0.46 points, a differential largely attributable to superior technical execution in their step sequence.
The victory marks Cizeron’s second consecutive Olympic gold, having previously triumphed at Beijing 2022 with former partner Gabriella Papadakis. Since joining forces with Fournier Beaudry, the pair has dominated international competition, claiming victory in five of six major events including the 2026 European Championships.
Their rapid competitive success, however, unfolds against a backdrop of significant off-ice drama. Cizeron’s partnership with Papadakis—his childhood skating companion with whom he won five world titles—dissolved amid considerable acrimony. Papadakis’s recent memoir alleged an ‘unbalanced’ relationship characterized by controlling behavior, claims which Cizeron has vehemently denied as a ‘smear campaign’ and is challenging through legal channels.
Fournier Beaudry’s path to Olympic glory proved equally complex. Previously partnered with Canadian skater Nikolaj Sorensen—also her romantic partner—she transitioned to representing France after Sorensen received a six-year suspension following a sexual assault allegation from 2012. Sorensen maintains his innocence, while Fournier Beaudry’s public support of him has drawn criticism from the anonymous complainant.
Through accelerated citizenship proceedings, Fournier Beaudry obtained French nationality in November 2025, enabling the new partnership to compete. When questioned about her Canadian roots during post-event interviews, she acknowledged the foundational support from Canadian training institutions while embracing her new competitive identity.
Reflecting on their tumultuous journey to Olympic gold, Cizeron emphasized their shared resilience: ‘We created a protective bubble, supporting each other through the distractions. Our mutual love for the sport and for each other sustained our focus. These moments of triumph are precious—we won’t allow them to be diminished.’