Olympics 2022: Skating pair Chock and Bates will continue competing after missing medal podium

Madison Chock and Evan Bates take a risk with their routine.

Madison Chock and Evan Bates scored a career-best score, 130.63, for their free dance routine at the Beijing Olympics. Sunday's score added to the rhythm dance points gave them an impressive total score of 214.77, but it wasn't enough to win a medal.

Their unusual interstellar theme -- a risky decision in a sport that exudes sexiness -- earned an outstanding score and put pressure on the skating teams to follow.  Unfortunately for the US pair, their rivals also came through with good enough scores to maintain their leads.

“We are disappointed we didn’t medal but we are still proud of our career and what we have achieved,” said Chock, who is Hawaiian and Chinese. 

The French team of Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron had a total score of 226.98 to capture the gold medal.

They were followed by the Russian pair of Victoria Sinitsina and Nikita Katsalapov who notched a season's best to win silver with a total score of 220.5. Bronze went to Team USA's Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue with 218.02 points.

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The veteran pair — Chock in her third Olympics, Bates in his fourth — are leaving Beijing with at least one Olympic medal, a silver earned in the team competition. After the final scores were posted, Chock and Bates told the media that they had no plans to hang up their skates. 

"We're not deciding to retire after the season," Bates tells PEOPLE. "We are still really passionate about skating. We still feel young and we still feel like there's room for improvement and growth. And I keep hearing about four Games and being one of the oldest skaters. And I'm like, 'How did that happen?' I don't feel like I'm just as seasoned as that makes me sound."

The chemistry that they have on the ice is the result of their relationship off the ice. They say there's no set date for wedding bells.

"When we do decide to retire, we will definitely be having a big celebration," says Chock. "And that will probably include a wedding."

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AAPI perspective, follow me on Twitter @DioknoEd.