How athletes are celebrating valentine’s day
MILAN - Figure skaters Madison CHOCK and Evan BATES (USA) can console themselves with more than just a silver medal after missing out on Olympic ice dance gold at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games - they also have each other.
"Our connection is unique and special, and the bond that we've formed over the last 15 years is so deep and strong," said BATES, who married CHOCK in June 2024. "What we do on the ice, it requires so much trust in your partner, so our relationship really lends itself to be a strength for us."
"We support each other through everything," CHOCK said at USA's Winter House on Wednesday. "All the highs and lows, it comes with conflicting emotions."
Like many competing couples, CHOCK and BATES will celebrate Valentine's Day at Milano Cortina.
"Maddie would like chocolate and flowers, which I need to procure," said BATES. "We usually are competing, but now we're done competing, so we'll have some time."
It is a different story for Norwegian speed skaters Sander EITREM and Aurora Grinden LOVAS (NOR), who will try to squeeze in some romance before the rest of their events begin on Sunday.
"Maybe we should go out for a coffee or something," said EITREM, who won the men's 5000m on Sunday 8 February before finishing seventh in the 10,000m on Friday. "It's a day between the 10k and team pursuit (qualification). We'll have a rest day, so we need to do something, I guess.
"You take away time to do things you want to do."
Magnus NEDREGOTTEN and Kristin SKASLIEN (NOR), who competed in mixed doubles curling together, have been married since 2017. They believe that even time on the ice can bring you closer together.
"Doing it with the one you love the most, that's special," SKASLIEN said.
Does the tension of competition ever spill over into their personal life? "Sometimes, yes," she said. "A tough loss can be hard to get over."
"But," NEDREGOTTEN said, "we try to talk about it as soon as it is convenient, after the highest impulses have calmed down a little bit after the game."
SKASLIEN: "We definitely need some romance now, because it's a long time since we have.
"We’ve been staying in separate rooms now and when we competed. It’s just a lot of training and focusing on the games, so not much time for doing other stuff as husband and wife.
"Maybe we should try to find some nice things to do."
Although for some, like Yannick SCHWALLER (SUI), another curler who is married to his mixed doubles partner (Briar SCHWALLER-HUERLIMANN, SUI), the whole thing is a non-event.
"We don't do Valentine's Day," SCHWALLER said. "I'm romantic 365 days a year."
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