After over 700 days, the U.S. Olympic figure skating team finally became the first U.S. figure skating team to win the Olympic gold medal. Even with the ongoing scandal, the victory was completely unexpected for the nine members of Team USA.
OLYMPIC CHAMPIONS ?
The 2022 U.S. Figure Skating Team athletes have been awarded the gold medal in the team event at the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022.
Congratulations Evan Bates, Karen Chen, Nathan Chen, Madison Chock, Zachary Donohue, Brandon Frazier, Madison Hubbell,… pic.twitter.com/Oln1G9FRCh
— Team USA (@TeamUSA) January 30, 2024
On January 29, 2024, Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva was officially disqualified for testing positive for a banned substance in late 2021. This ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport stripped Russia of the gold medal and moved Team USA to the top spot on the podium. The controversy started at Beijing 2022, when the Olympic Committee decided not to award any medals due to the positive doping test of Valieva, who had just led her team to first place. Despite initially placing second for the silver medal in Beijing, the American Team were given empty boxes as the world waited for a final decision to be made.
Evan Bates, a figure skater from Team USA, said during an interview with TODAY, “The Olympic career for most of us is not that long, so waiting for two years has been tough for a lot of us.” Bates emphasized not just their team but also the nature of a clean sport and athletes who had faced similar disappointments in the past due to doping scandals.
The gold medal represents more than just a podium finish — it symbolizes their entire lives and decades of hard work. Madison Chock, another member of Team USA, described the announcement as a moment when “a weight had been lifted” after enduring the uncertainty.
While the team looks forward to officially receiving their medals, skater Nathan Chen, now a two-time gold medalist, hinted at the potential for more. Chen, the first American male figure skater since Dick Button to secure two golds, is considering the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.
Team USA figure skaters have become an inspiration not only for their resilience on the ice but for their perseverance in the face of uncertainty, proving that sometimes, history is worth the wait.
