Age: 29, 32
Events: Ice Dance
This is Chock and Bates’ third Olympics together. They came in ninth place at the 2018 PyeongChang Games and ranked eighth at the 2014 Sochi Games.
Chock and Bates joined forces in 2011. Since then, they’ve won three national titles, three World Championship medals, six Four Continent medals (including two golds) and a whopping 14 Grand Prix Series medals (including three golds).
And they’re partners both on and off the ice. Although, it wasn’t exactly love at first sight. In fact, it was five years before things took a romantic turn. As Bates recalled to Olympics.com, “You know, eventually I was just like…’I love you. You know, I have feelings for you. I would love to be more than skating partners.'”
Previously, Chock skated with Greg Zuerlein from 2006-11. According to U.S. Figure Skating’s Fan Zone, they won the 2009 World Junior, U.S. Junior and Junior Grand Prix Final titles and were two-time U.S. bronze medalists (once as juniors and once as seniors) and two-time Grand Prix Series bronze medalists.
As for Bates, he skated with Emily Samuelson from 2000-10. During their time together, Fan Zone reported, they won the 2008 World Junior Championship, took home the silver at the 2009 U.S. Championship and secured the bronze at the 2010 U.S. Championship. They also competed at the 2010 Games in Vancouver, where they came in 11th place.
But it was Chock and Bates’ partnership that proved to be endgame. As she tweeted in December, “24 yrs skating, 10 yrs skating together, 5 yrs together as a couple, 2 Olympics, 1 forever partnership.”
Chock was born in California, later moving to Michigan, and started skating at age 5. According to her team bio, her hobbies include drawing, painting and reading. She also designs skating costumes.
Bates was born and raised in Michigan and started skating at age 4. According to his team bio, he likes to golf, read and play guitar.
