Madison Chock and Evan Bates may train in Montreal, Canada, and compete on the biggest stages in figure skating, but the Olympic gold medalists say their hearts remain firmly in Michigan.
Chock and Bates, fresh off winning their third Grand Prix Final gold medal and seventh medal overall, the most of any ice dance team in the event’s history, said their local roots keep them connected to Metro Detroit as they prepare for another Olympic run in 2026.
The pair are three-time world champions, Olympic gold medalists in the team event, and among the favorites to qualify for another Olympics together.
But even with all the miles they’ve traveled, they say home is never far from mind.
“We miss Metro Detroit so much. We talk about it all the time. My parents are still there. We have our best friends still in Michigan,” Bates said.
Bates grew up in Ann Arbor, while Chock moved to Michigan as a teenager from Hawaii and attended Novi High School.
The two trained for years at the Novi Ice Arena and Arctic Edge in Canton Township before relocating to Montreal.
“We love Michigan, especially this time of year,” Chock said. “I’m really missing the leaves changing colors and the beautiful Michigan sky.”
Now newly married, the couple says their long-term plans may bring them back to the state.
“I think when you’re thinking about starting a family, it’s definitely helpful to have family around,” Chock said. “So, I think in the future we’ll definitely want to move closer to them.”
Through long travel days, pressure-packed competitions, and the grind of an Olympic year, they say their connection to each other and their work stays central.
“I think we certainly bring our work home with us, but it’s because it’s something we’re passionate about and it’s a shared passion,” Chock said.
They also believe that passion can bring people together.
“I think it’s a great tool to bring people together,” Chock said, “and I hope that people can find some common ground through the Olympics by cheering on their athletes.”
For young skaters watching from rinks in Novi, Canton, or Ann Arbor, the lesson is clear: Olympic dreams don’t have to start far away.
Chock and Bates will compete for their Olympic spot at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in January.
If selected, Metro Detroit could once again have hometown heroes on the ice in Milan, Italy.
They’re one of several teams with local ties in the mix.
Another is Emilia Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik, who train at the Novi Ice Arena.