ST. LOUIS — Madison Chock and Evan Bates didn’t just win a gold medal on Saturday; they etched their names permanently into the history books. With a dominant performance at the 2026 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, the duo captured their seventh national ice dance title, breaking the record of six previously held by Meryl Davis and Charlie White.
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“To be in this position after 15 years together is something we never could have dreamed of,” Bates said following the victory. “Breaking the record held by Meryl and Charlie—two people we admire so much—is a profound honor.”
The Road to Milano
The win all but guarantees their spot on the U.S. Olympic team. If they compete in Italy next month, they will become the oldest American figure skaters to participate in the Olympics in nearly a century.
While Chock and Bates took the top spot, the battle for the remaining Olympic berths was fierce:
- Silver: Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik delivered a career-best performance to secure second.
- Bronze: Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko rounded out the podium.
- Special Note: The crowd gave a standing ovation to Maia and Alex Shibutani, who completed a sentimental comeback after an eight-year hiatus, finishing 9th.
By the Numbers: The Record-Breakers
| Stat | Madison Chock & Evan Bates |
| Total U.S. Titles | 7 (New Record) |
| Consecutive Titles | 5 (2022–2026) |
| Total Score | 228.87 |
| Margin of Victory | 15.22 points |
The official U.S. Olympic Figure Skating Team roster will be formally announced tomorrow, Sunday, January 11.
