The Japanese American dynamic duo brother & sister siblings Maia & Alex Shibutani (also known as the Shib Sibs), as well as Madison Chock (and her ice dance partner and Evan Bates) made the 2018 U.S. Olympic Ice Dance Figure Skating Team, as announced this past Sunday during a press conference and press release:
“U.S. Figure Skating announced today the ice dance teams who will compete at the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 as part of the U.S. Olympic Figure Skating Team.
The ice dance team is Madison Chock and Evan Bates, Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue, and Maia Shibutani and Alex Shibutani.
Madison Chock and Evan Bates are the 2018 U.S. bronze medalists. They are the 2015 U.S. champions, 2016 World bronze medalists and placed eighth at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. After winning silver at both of their Grand Prix assignments this season, they qualified for their fourth-straight Grand Prix Final.
…
Maia Shibutani and Alex Shibutani are two-time U.S. champions. They topped the podium at both of their Grand Prix assignments this season before earning bronze at the Grand Prix Final. They are the 2017 World bronze medalists, 2016 World silver medalists, and placed ninth at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia.”
Photo by 8Asians
Earlier that day, I got to see Maia & Alex Shibutani perform, and they were favored to win the Gold for the 2018 U.S. Championships (often referred to as “Nationals”) for Ice Dance, but had a minor hiccup in their free dance routine which cost them dearly, when Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue performed flawlessly, wining in total points (short dance + free dance) 197.12 vs. the Shibutani’s 196.93, a difference of just .19 points!
Maia & Alex Shibutani were amazing. I remember seeing others post about them on Facebook, and you should take a look at yourself at how talented they are.
https://youtu.be/Ny79P7iiHt0
This will be their *second* trip to the Olympics, as they competed also in 2014. Amazing.
Additionally, Asian American Madison Chock and her ice dancing partner Evan Bates made the team as well, and I also had the opportunity to see them perform for the free skate routine.
Photo by 8Asians
From Wikipedia, Chock’s background is: “She is of Chinese-Hawaiian descent on her father’s side, and German, English, Irish, French, and Dutch descent on her mother Barbara Hall’s side.” Chock doesn’t sound like a Chinese last name to me, but perhaps it was anglicized non-traditionally.
2018 U.S. Championships Ice Dancing Press Conference
Congratulations to all who made the Olympic team!
- Excited
- Fascinated
- Amused
- Disgusted
- Sad
- Angry
