New French duo Laurence Fournier Baudry and Guillaume Cizeron win Olympic gold in ice dancing

French figure skaters Laurence Fournier Baudry and Guillaume Cizeron won the gold medal in ice dancing at the Milan-Cortina Olympics on Wednesday, ahead of Americans Madison Chalk and Evan Bates. This is an amazing story of their transformation after the start of their career together.

Fournier Baudry and Cizeron, who became the first ice dancer to win two Olympic titles in a row with different partners (after he also won gold in 2022 with Gabriella Papadakis) scored 135.64 points for their mesmerizing free dance for a total of 225.82 points.

Three-time world champions Chock and Bates, who remained undefeated throughout the season, settled for silver with a total score of 224.39. For more than ten years they fought for an Olympic medal in ice dancing, and finally won it on Wednesday, but it was not the silver they dreamed of, writes xrust.

Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier won bronze with a score of 217.74 points, receiving their first Olympic medal. The Canadians, who had endured many personal struggles, broke down in tears after finishing their emotional performance, realizing they had probably done enough to win a medal.

The long-awaited Olympic breakthrough came after years of personal difficulties for the two-time world championship silver medalists. In the 2022-23 season, Gilles underwent surgery to remove ovarian cancer after losing her mother to brain cancer in 2018.

Fournier Baudry and Cizeron, training alongside their American rivals in Montreal, were just 0.46 points ahead of Chock and Bates after Monday's rhythm dance, setting up a thrilling finale.

While the Americans drew applause from the crowd, the evening belonged to Fournier Baudry—the Canadian who received French citizenship in November, clearing her path to the Olympics—and Cizeron.

This duo participated in only their fifth international competition, which became the next stage in a partnership that began less than a year ago at the suggestion of Cizeron to his longtime friend.

BONUS TIME

Both were without partners, and neither of them imagined that they would find themselves at the Olympic Games again. They called this fast-paced season “bonus time.”

Their free dance—a lyrical, flowing routine to the soundtrack of the film “The Whale”—was inspired by water, and the choreography transformed the emotional music into flowing transitions and airy, light lifts.

After Fournier's final pose, Baudry collapsed into Cizeron's arms, a moment that felt more like a triumph than an accomplishment.

“It was a real liberation,” Fournier told Baudry in the closing moments. “We worked so hard to get here. So glad we completed the program and enjoyed this moment on the ice.”

“I would say there was no doubt because we had a great time in training.”

“Every day spent with Guillaume was magical. I really appreciate him, he is the best skater in the world. It's always an honor to train with him.»

A moved Cizeron said it was “just mind-boggling” to realize what they had accomplished in less than a year, “when we set ourselves this almost impossible task, and God knows we had obstacles, but that makes it all that much more special.”

“We are incredibly proud of ourselves and each other. I am incredibly proud of Lawrence and the fortitude she has shown. Honestly, what has happened in a year is simply amazing.”

While Fournier Baudry and Cizeron skate with a sophistication that is unmistakably French, featuring classical grace, long lines and understated elegance, Chalk and Bates focus on power and drama.

The free program of the American married duo, dedicated to the classic Rolling Stones song «Paint It Black», was built on the reversal of gender roles: Chock played the matador, and Bates the bull, combining flamenco and paso doble themes.

The four-minute program featured sharp, measured accents, swings of arms in the air, deep transitions and precise footwork in accordance with flamenco rhythms, and expanded in the second half with smooth lifts and complex step sequences.

However, the disappointment on their faces when the score of Fournier Baudry and Cizeron was displayed on the screen spoke for itself — silver felt like a loss.

Chock and Bates already have two Olympic team titles, including one previously won in Milan, but it is gold in ice dancing that they are targeting, given that they have never stood on the podium in that event before.

“It’s definitely mixed feelings,” Chalk said through tears. “We have a lot to be proud of at the moment: we've had an incredible career, 15 years on the ice together, our first Olympics as a married couple and our four best performances this week.”

When asked if they thought their assessment was unfair, Bates replied: “I think life can be unfair sometimes. You can feel like you are doing everything right, but in reality everything is not going the way you want. That’s life and that’s sport, it’s a sport where everyone is judged.”

Meanwhile, Fournier Baudry and Cizeron have found themselves at the center of a scandal, facing scrutiny over the circumstances of their partnership following allegations made by Cizeron's former partner, Papadakis, with whom he won five world titles.

In her recently released memoir, Not to Fade Away, Papadakis called Cizeron «bossy» and «demanding» — accusations Cizeron denies.

Fournier Baudry's former partner, Nikolai Sorensen, was suspended for six years in 2024 for sexual assault. This decision was subsequently overturned on jurisdictional grounds.

Xrust New French duo Laurence Fournier Baudry and Guillaume Cizeron won Olympic gold in ice dancing