With the U.S. flagging after an error-strewn free programme by
pairs duo Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier, Chock and Bates
needed to step up to help their team climb the second step on
the podium behind the Russian winners.
Eschewing classical music and pop songs, the usual safe harbours
of figure skating competition, Chock and Bates performed an
alien-astronaut love story to a medley by French electro duo
"Daft Punk" at Beijing's Capital Indoor Stadium.
With alien Chock in sparkling silver makeup and astronaut Bates
in a purple, Star Trek-style outfit, the real-life partners'
otherworldly routine was a high-stakes gamble that ultimately
paid off with a table-topping score.
The duo's 129.07 points pipped Victoria Sinitsina and Nikita
Katsalapov (128.17) after the Russians' graceful but
conventional routine to the music of Sergei Rachmaninoff.
Chock and Madison's win shored up the United States's second
place before the final women's singles component, staving off
eventual bronze medallists Japan.
"This programme is really special and unique for us," said
Bates, the U.S. figure skating team's captain.
"It's a risk that we took at the beginning of the year to pick
this theme and this music in an Olympic year and I'm so pleased
that we were able to skate like that and show it to the world."
The U.S. celebrated their best result in the team event, after
taking bronze at Pyeongchang four years ago and Sochi in 2014.
With Karen Chen fourth in the women's singles, the Americans
finished strongly after being rocked by Vincent Zhou's positive
COVID-19 test following his skate in the team event on Sunday..
The team sent a video message to 21-year-old Zhou, who was
unable to join them in celebration and will need to be cleared
to compete in the men’s short programme on Tuesday.
"We basically said: ‘Vincent, we’re sorry to hear the news. We
miss you'," said Bates.
"'We wish you were here because you’re a big part of this team.
You helped earn the silver medal'."
(Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Additional reporting by
Hritika Sharma in Beijing; Editing by Ed Osmond)
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