French pair capture Winter Olympic ice dance title-Xinhua

Gold medalists Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron of France pose after the free dance competition of figure skating ice dance at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 11, 2026. (Xinhua/Xue Yuge)

MILAN, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- Beijing 2022 champion Guillaume Cizeron retained his Olympic ice dance title at the Milan-Cortina Winter Games on Wednesday, winning with new partner Laurence Fournier Beaudry at the Milano Ice Skating Arena.

Skating to music from the film The Whale, Cizeron and Fournier Beaudry produced a near-flawless free dance to score 135.64 points and finish with a total of 225.82. They edged reigning world champions Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the United States, who placed second on 224.39. Chock and Bates, who are married, had won team gold on Sunday. Canada's Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier, silver medalists at the world championships, took bronze with 217.74.

"It's just surreal," Cizeron said. "To look back at everything that we've been through. The determination and strength of this one and of our team, the support that we've had, the love that we've had.

"It has a very particular taste, this medal. It was a huge challenge. We went for it and we couldn't be happier."

Cizeron became the first ice dancer to win Olympic gold with two different partners. The French skater captured the title at Beijing 2022 with Gabriella Papadakis. He teamed up with Fournier Beaudry last March, and the pair quickly rose through the ranks, winning the European title in January.

"I had a very particular mindset the whole week," Fournier Beaudry said. "Just being here, surrounded by my coaches, my family and Guillaume gave me so much trust and so much confidence. When I stepped on the ice today, I felt it was going to go our way.

"I really wanted to enjoy the moment out there. We're never going to get those moments again. Just enjoying being on the ice with Guillaume and sharing that journey is really amazing."

Italy's Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri finished fourth with 209.58 points.

"We knew there were many people in the audience who came just for us, many friends and family," Guignard said. "We knew we were skating for them, and we put our whole heart on the ice." ■

Holly Harris and Jason Chan of Australia react as they wait for the scores during the free dance competition of figure skating ice dance at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 11, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Yichen)

Phebe Bekker and James Hernandez of Britain perform during the free dance competition of figure skating ice dance at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 11, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Yichen)

Marjorie Lajoie and Zachary Lagha of Canada perform during the free dance competition of figure skating ice dance at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 11, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Yichen)

Gold medalists Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron of France celebrate after winnng the free dance competition of figure skating ice dance at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 11, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Yichen)

Milla Ruud Reitan and Nikolaj Majorov of Sweden perform during the free dance competition of figure skating ice dance at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 11, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Yichen)

Marie-Jade Lauriault and Romain le Gac of Canada reactr as they wait for the scores during the free dance competition of figure skating ice dance at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 11, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Yichen)

Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik of the United States perform during the free dance competition of figure skating ice dance at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 11, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Yichen)

Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron of France react as they wait for the scores during the free dance competition of figure skating ice dance at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 11, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Yichen)

Diana Davis and Gleb Smolkin of Georgia react as they wait for the scores during the free dance competition of figure skating ice dance at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 11, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Yichen)

Diana Davis and Gleb Smolkin of Georgia perform during the free dance competition of figure skating ice dance at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 11, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Yichen)

Katerina Mrazkova and Daniel Mrazek of the Czech Republic perform during the free dance competition of figure skating ice dance at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 11, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Yichen)

Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron of France perform during the free dance competition of figure skating ice dance at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 11, 2026. (Xinhua/Xue Yuge)

Bronze medalists Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier of Canada pose after the free dance competition of figure skating ice dance at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 11, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Yichen)

Holly Harris and Jason Chan of Australia perform during the free dance competition of figure skating ice dance at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 11, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Yichen)

Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier of Canada react during the free dance competition of figure skating ice dance at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 11, 2026. (Xinhua/Cheng Min)

Marjorie Lajoie and Zachary Lagha of Canada react as they wait for the scores during the free dance competition of figure skating ice dance at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 11, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Yichen)

Silver medalists Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the United States perform during the free dance competition of figure skating ice dance at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 11, 2026. (Xinhua/Cheng Min)

Evgeniia Lopareva and Geoffrey Brissaud of France perform during the free dance competition of figure skating ice dance at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 11, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Yichen)

Juulia Turkkila and Matthias Versluis of Finland react as they wait for the scores during the free dance competition of figure skating ice dance at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 11, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Yichen)

Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier of Canada react as they wait for the scores during the free dance competition of figure skating ice dance at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 11, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Yichen)

Silver medalists Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the United States, gold medalists Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron of France and bronze medalists Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier of Canada (L to R) take selfies on the podium after the free dance competition of figure skating ice dance at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 11, 2026. (Xinhua/Xue Yuge)

Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko of the United States perform during the free dance competition of figure skating ice dance at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 11, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Yichen)

Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik of the United States celebrate as they wait for the scores during the free dance competition of figure skating ice dance at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 11, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Yichen)

Sofia Val and Asaf Kazimov of Spain react as they wait for the scores during the free dance competition of figure skating ice dance at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 11, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Yichen)

Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri of Italy as they wait for the scores during the free dance competition of figure skating ice dance at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 11, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Yichen)

Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the United States react as they wait for the scores during the free dance competition of figure skating ice dance at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 11, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Yichen)

Olivia Smart and Tim Dieck of Spain perform during the free dance competition of figure skating ice dance at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 11, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Yichen)

Natalie Taschlerova and Filip Taschler of the Czech Repbulic perform during the free dance competition of figure skating ice dance at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 11, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Yichen)

Allison Reed and Saulius Ambrulevicius of Lithuania react as they wait for the scores during the free dance competition of figure skating ice dance at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 11, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Yichen)

Evgeniia Lopareva and Geoffrey Brissaud of France react as they wait for the scores during the free dance competition of figure skating ice dance at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 11, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Yichen)

Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the United States perform during the free dance competition of figure skating ice dance at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 11, 2026. (Xinhua/Cheng Min)

Milla Ruud Reitan and Nikolaj Majorov of Sweden react as they wait for the scores during the free dance competition of figure skating ice dance at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 11, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Yichen)