A touch of winter came to the Summer Games on Wednesday as the U.S. figure skating team finally received their gold medals as 2022 Olympic champions.
The special medal ceremony allowed the nine Americans to parade down a catwalk in the bright Paris sunshine, marvel at the Eiffel Tower and bask in the warm cheers of the fans crowded into the stands at Champions Park.
Exactly two and a half years after the team competition in figure skating at the Beijing Olympics ended – and the doping saga surrounding the victorious Russian team began – the Americans received the medals that were not awarded at that time.
“I think the wait was absolutely worth it. Definitely,” said Karen Chen, who wore the first gold medal of her career around her neck.
All nine American skaters came to Paris, including Evan Bates, Nathan Chen, Madison Chock, Zachary Donohue, Brandon Frazier, Madison Hubbell, Alexa Knierim and Vincent Zhou.
Seven of the eight members of the Japanese team came to collect their silver medals – an improvement on their third place in Beijing.
The athletes were honored with a performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” not the Tchaikovsky piano piece that would have been played for the Russians in Beijing.
The ceremony in France was attended by family, friends and fans.
Not in an almost empty ice rink in China during the Olympic Games, which took place despite a COVID-19 lockdown.
“It’s an unforgettable experience for all of us to be here and receive our medals,” said Karen Chen. “Just seeing the crowds, seeing everything and enjoying the whole thing.”
Knierim, who skated in pairs with Frazier, had her fingernails painted gold.
“I thought it was a perfect fit for the occasion,” she said of a ceremony that was confirmed just two weeks ago.
Shortly before the start of the Olympic Games in Paris, Russia’s appeal against regaining the Olympic team title was rejected by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
She was stripped of her title in January when another CAS panel disqualified Russian teenager Kamila Valieva for doping with a banned heart drug.
She was also banned for four years.
No Russian figure skater wins a medal in the French capital, although their third place at the Paris Olympics was confirmed in another CAS decision.
The Russian Olympic Committee has been officially suspended from the Games, but 15 people will compete as neutral athletes following an investigation.
Canada’s figure skaters lost their appeal last Friday against an upgrade of their score from fourth place by the International Skating Union.
“They feel for me,” said Zhou, one of the new Olympic champions.
The unusual setting for the Winter Games medal ceremony had even more unusual features: no podium, no bronze medalists and no flagpoles.
An American flag was shown on a large screen.
Nevertheless, Bates said, Paris was described as a “dream scenario” for medals, since the USA left Beijing without one.
It was his fourth Olympic Games and his first medal.
“I don’t know what it feels like (to win a medal at the Winter Games), but it feels pretty good,” said Bates, who ice danced with Chock.
The long-time ice partners got married in June.
“We grew up with this dream – but not in 32 degree heat,” Bates said in the shade, before Chock joked, “We are not made for this heat.”
Her result was the first of several Olympic results corrected due to doping cases, for which the well-deserved medals will now be presented in Champions Park.
Ten athletes are due to receive their upgraded medals on Friday, including two American champions from the 2012 Olympic Games in London who originally won silver medals behind Russians who were later found to have been doping.
Lashinda Demus will win her gold medal as Olympic champion in the women’s 400 meter hurdles and Erik Kynard in the men’s high jump.
“Today is a victory for clean athletes everywhere,” said Chock.
“Some athletes have to wait much longer than 2½ years.”