Madison Chock i Evan Bates they both remember the moment everything changed.
Team USA’s ice dancers, widely considered the best duo in the world and favorites to win gold at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy, originally teamed up in 2011.
Over time, however, their professional partnership became something more.
“There’s definitely a moment I remember,” Bates, 36, exclusively told Us Weekly alongside Chock, 33, of their partnership with Nulo. “We skated together for five years and it was just a friendship, but the friendship was good. From the first day we always had a connection. We laughed, we enjoyed our time together. It made skating a lot of fun. During the five years, we were successful, but we were also not successful. We had a lot of hard times. In those hard times, I realized that Maddie was beyond and I realized that I was very connected to her and I really realized that Maddie he went further as a skating partner”.
Olympic gold medalists Evan Bates and Madison Chock make the perfect pairing on and off the ice. Chock and Bates, who first partnered during the 2011-2012 figure skating season, began dating in 2017. “We really fell in love on the ice and became close,” Bates exclusively told Us Weekly in February 2018, (…)
As the pair prepared to compete at the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, Bates was under the impression that “it would be the end of the road for us as a career.”
“I remember thinking, ‘I can’t really imagine one day walking off the court and going our separate ways, being friends and just not seeing each other anymore,” Bates said. That changed everything about our relationship and our partnership.”
Bates added, “Since that moment, we’ve been pretty much inseparable.”
Chock also remembers the moment, admitting he was “so shocked” by Bates’ admission.
“It really came out of the blue for me,” Us said. “I knew we always had amazing chemistry. We had a lot of fun together. We were great friends. Training was always fun because we always got along. We had the same work ethic. But when he told me how he felt, I was so surprised because I didn’t see it coming at all.”
Chock continued, “When I really sat down and thought about it, I was like, ‘Wait a minute. I feel the same way about you. This is amazing.'”
The couple married in Hawaii in June 2024.
“Our day-to-day is definitely very similar, if not completely changed with training and our typical routine that we’ve gotten used to over the years,” Chock said of life as husband and wife. “But I would say that after we got married there was definitely a change in the emotional connection and attraction to each other. It’s definitely much stronger.”
Evan Bates, Madison Chock
Courtesy of NuloChock added, “It’s very much rooted in love and our commitment to each other, and our commitment to wanting to continue to improve as people move forward and be the best partners we can be with each other.”
With the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy on the horizon, Chock and Bates have partnered with Nulo’s “Fuel Incredible” campaign.designed to highlight the unique bond between athletes and their pets.
When Team USA’s top athletes competed in the 2022 Winter Olympics, their loved ones were some of their biggest fans. Shaun White, who competed in his last Winter Olympics in February 2022, began dating actress Nina Dobrev in 2020. The two were together until they called off their engagement in September 2025. In January 2022, (…)
Chock and Bates are parents to toy poodles Stella, 13, and Henry, 9.
“Henry and Stella are an important part of our lives,” Chock said. “Skating is a big part, but Henry and Stella are right there with us. They’re really an active part of our whole day.”
During training, Chock said the two dogs “come to the track with us every day.”
“When we take a break, they run up and say hi to everybody in the locker room,” Chock explained. “They just lighten up the spirits on the rink when everyone comes by the rink. Doing their runs, doing some tough training sessions. Henry and Stella bring a lot of joy to everyone.”