USA

Madison Chock and Evan Bates rocked their way to a world-best score of 91.06 in rhythm dancing on Friday to open the team competition at the Milan Cortina Olympic Gameswhere American figure skaters are the reigning champions.

Cheered on by a crowd that included the vice president. J.D. Vancehis family and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Chocks and bats They were able to secure their team the maximum 10 points for their Lenny Kravitz-inspired dance while also making a big early statement.

Three-time world champions Chock and Bates are favorites to win individual Olympic gold later in the year. winter games. But they will be boosted by the new French team of Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron, who had made their own statement minutes before Chock and Bates took to the ice when they set their world-best score of 89.98 points.

“We’re not focused on that,” Chock said. “We’re just doing what we do.”

The team event is expected to fall to the United States and Japan in search of the gold medal. Chock and Bates’ victory in the rhythm dance, along with Utana Yoshia and Masaya Morita’s eighth place finish, means the United States has a big head start.

The short program for women and couples took place later on Friday, just hours before the opening ceremony. Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea were on the ice in pairs for the United States with the world champion Alyssa Liu performing your short program.

“We definitely skated very well and we’re very happy, as you saw when we finished. I think we both felt the excitement of starting these Olympic Games,” said Bates, who along with Chock are the only holdovers from the Beijing Games gold medalists.

“It’s a great start,” Bates added. “It’s always a great feeling to do it for the United States”

The opening ceremony of the Olympic Games is scheduled for Friday, February 6, but some of the first rounds of competition began two days earlier. The opening ceremony will feature performances by Mariah Carey, Laura Pausini and Andrea Bocelli.

The Olympic events will continue until the closing ceremony on February 22. The Paralympic Games will take place next month, from March 6 to 15.