Who Wins Gold in Ice Dancing Olympics 2026?
France’s Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron win the ice dancing gold medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, edging out the favourites in a tight, high-pressure final.
Their total score of 225.82 put them just ahead of Madison Chock and Evan Bates from the United States, who finished with 224.39, while Canada’s Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier took bronze with 217.74.
The result feels like one of those nights where experience, risk, and timing all lined up: Cizeron returned as a former Olympic champion, but with a new partner and a much shorter build‑up than most top teams get before an Olympic Games.
Many fans expected Chock and Bates to finally complete their set with individual Olympic gold, which only makes the French win feel more dramatic and, for some viewers, a little bittersweet.
The ice dance rhythm dance took place on 9 February 2026 at 19:20 local time (UTC+01:00) at the Forum di Milano in Milan, with the free dance held on 11 February 2026 at 19:30 local time, setting up a prime‑time showdown that drew global attention. For anyone following live, it was the kind of evening where refreshing the results page between skates became almost a nervous habit.
Key Results and Medal Standings
The 2026 Olympic ice dance podium looks like this: gold for France (Fournier Beaudry / Cizeron), silver for USA (Chock / Bates), bronze for Canada (Gilles / Poirier).
These three teams were already familiar names on the Grand Prix and championship circuit, so the medals confirm what the season had been hinting at, but the final order still surprised many observers.
A quick look at the final standings helps:
| Rank | Country | Ice dance team & medal |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | France | Laurence Fournier Beaudry / Guillaume Cizeron – Gold |
| 2 | USA | Madison Chock / Evan Bates – Silver |
| 3 | Canada | Piper Gilles / Paul Poirier – Bronze |
Chock and Bates came in as three‑time world champions and recent team-event gold medallists at these same Games, so the silver here feels like both an achievement and a near‑miss.
Gilles and Poirier, meanwhile, celebrate their best Olympic finish to date, improving on previous placements of eighth (2018) and seventh (2022), which makes this bronze feel like a payoff for years of gradual climbing rather than an overnight breakthrough.
When and Where the 2026 Ice Dance Final Happened?
The decisive free dance for Olympic ice dance at Milano Cortina 2026 took place on Wednesday, 11 February 2026, starting at 19:30 local time (UTC+01:00) at the Forum di Milano in Milan, Italy. The rhythm dance was held two days earlier, on Monday, 9 February 2026, beginning at 19:20 local time, so viewers had a clear two‑stage storyline: set the base score on Monday, then fight for medals on Wednesday night.
For those checking times from different regions, that 19:30 local slot on 11 February translates roughly to mid‑afternoon in parts of North America and late night in some Asian time zones, which meant plenty of people were watching from work breaks, buses, and slightly sleepy living rooms.
How the French Team Secured Ice Dance Gold?
The French pair secured Olympic gold by holding a narrow lead from the rhythm dance, then delivering a free dance that combined clean elements with a modern, almost cinematic style set to music from the film “The Whale.” Their 0.46‑point advantage after the first segment might not sound like much, but in elite ice dance that gap can be the difference between conservative and confident: they skated the free dance like a team that knew the score was within reach but refused to skate defensively.
Cizeron, already an Olympic gold medallist from Beijing 2022 with Gabriella Papadakis, became the first ice dancer to win Olympic titles with two different partners, something that adds a strong layer of experience and legacy to this victory.
Laurence Fournier Beaudry brought her own depth: she had previously finished ninth at Beijing 2022 with Nikolaj Sørensen and reached as high as fifth in the world rankings, so this gold is the culmination of a long, steady climb rather than a sudden rise.
Their partnership was only officially announced in 2025, yet within a year they had won the 2026 European Championships and then Olympic gold, which makes their trajectory one of the fastest and most intense in recent ice dance history.
What This Means for Chock, Bates, and the Wider Ice Dance Field?
For Madison Chock and Evan Bates, the silver medal is both a major achievement and a tough pill, given they had dominated the last Olympic cycle and were often described as favourites for individual gold.
They leave Milano Cortina 2026 with another Olympic medal, plus gold from the team event, and a record that includes four Olympic appearances and multiple world titles evidence of long-term consistency even if the one missing title remains out of reach.
In the broader ice dance field, the French win signals that new partnerships can shake up long‑established hierarchies when they combine proven champions with hungry, experienced teammates.
For fans and future contenders, the 2026 result underlines a simple reality: rankings and reputations matter, but on a February night in Milan at 19:30 local time, the gold goes to the pair that delivers under the lights, element by element and step by step.
Disclaimer: This article is for general informational and news purposes only and should not be treated as official Olympic or betting advice. Viewers are encouraged to verify final results and schedules from authorised Olympic and federation sources.
