It’s been a strong Olympics so far for the United States figure skating team, and more medals could be added to their collection on Monday in Beijing, as two American pairs have a shot at gold in the finale of the ice dance competition.
Of the three pairs of American skaters in the ice dance competition, two are currently in the top four after the rhythm dance portion of the event. Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue are in third place, just 3.7 points behind the leaders, and Madison Chock and Evan Bates are in fourth place after a score of 84.14 in the rhythm dance.
Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron of France, who won the silver medal in the 2018 Olympics, are in the top spot, with Victoria Sinitsina and Nikita Katasalapov of the Russian Olympic Committee currently in second place.
Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker, the other American pair entered into the ice dance competition, are in 10th place after the rhythm dance portion of the program.
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter here.
The American teams are hoping to continue a recent run of dominance on the world stage for the country’s ice dancing pairs, with Americans winning medals in each of the last four Olympics in the sport.
Maia and Alex Shibutani won the bronze medal in 2018, while Meryl Davis and Charlie White captured a gold medal in Sochi in 2014. The pair also won a silver medal during the 2010 Games in Vancouver.
Hubbell and Donohue are currently ranked No. 5 in the world, and are hoping to take advantage of their strong rhythm dance score as they prepare for the free dance. Chock, who is in her second Olympics, and Bates, who is in his fourth, are the reigning U.S. champions in the discipline, and are looking to win a medal with their free dance medley featuring songs by Daft Punk.
Sports
The event will get underway at 7:15 p.m., with coverage on Peacock and NBCOlympics. After Super Bowl LVI between the Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Rams, coverage of the event will air on NBC stations.
