The bitter component is somewhat apparent, 2018 may have been their last competitive performance, thus re-digging the vast hole left in the sport during their absence from 2014 to 2016. The sweet thing is that if this is the end, Virtue and Moir went out on top, where they belong. As you will read on the NBC Olympics website, they have made a huge impact during their run, including becoming "the most-decorated figure skaters in Olympic history."
As figure skating fans turn their attention to the 2018 World Championships in Milan, this fan will share their highlights from the best of ice dance at the 2018 Winter Olympics and unsurprisingly, Virtue and Moir's golden chapter is where we begin.
Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir
Virtue and Moir are the best ice dance team of all-time, and at the 2018 Winter Olympics, they proved why. They won two gold medals in Pyeongchang, one in the individual round of competition and another in the team event, as they helped put Team Canada on the top step with their first-place finish in the ice dance portion.
At both events, their sizzling short dance was another master class in fiery theatricality and effortless unison. Next, they showed the world, an elegant, gripping, and mesmeric "Moulin Rouge!" free dance filled with artistry, passion, and emotional abandon that never sacrificed technical precision.
No other Olympic victory has personally mattered more than Virtue and Moir’s. To watch as over 20 years of hard work, dedication, poise, and utter brilliance culminated in such a way, was enough to bring yours truly to tears.
No matter the medal outcome, they had done it. For two years, their comeback has served as a testament to their sheer athleticism and astonishing partnership, and all of their hard work paid off.
Under immense pressure, their performances at the Olympics were gold medal worthy. Virtue and Moir are legends, and it is beyond incredible to know they left their latest Olympics being awarded accordingly.
No other Olympic victory has personally mattered more than Virtue and Moir’s. To watch as over 20 years of hard work, dedication, poise, and utter brilliance culminated in such a way, was enough to bring yours truly to tears.
No matter the medal outcome, they had done it. For two years, their comeback has served as a testament to their sheer athleticism and astonishing partnership, and all of their hard work paid off.
Under immense pressure, their performances at the Olympics were gold medal worthy. Virtue and Moir are legends, and it is beyond incredible to know they left their latest Olympics being awarded accordingly.
The greatest team in #IceDancing EVER!!! @tessavirtue and @ScottMoir have won the gold medal!!! 🥇 It was an honor to watch them win.— Britt (@EclecticPop) February 20, 2018
I did so through tears. Absolute perfection!!! Still shaking. Thank you #VirtueMoir - it's been an incredible ride!!! 💛 #Olympics
Madison Chock and Evan Bates
Chock and Bates' inspired program to John Lennon’s "Imagine" was going great, until they caught each other's blades during a combinatin spin. In the blink of an eye, what had been a perfect free dance took a tragic turn that immediately put them out of medal contention. It was a moment that served as a brutal reminder of the unforgiving nature of the sport. You are literally skating on thin ice.
While their fall put an end to their hopes of medaling, Chock and Bates gave a staggering display of their athletic mettle. They endured a heartrending setback with grace, beauty, and indescribable dignity that was awe-inspiring to watch. To skate the rest of their program with as much emotion as they began it with is what champions do.
Maia and Alex Shibutani
To earn the bronze medal in both the team event and the individual round of competition, the brother and sister team gave four impressive performances at the 2018 Winter Olympics. Their moving free dance to Coldplay's "Paradise" was one of the most uplifting moments of both the team and individual competitions.
Anna Cappellini and Luca Lanotte
The veteran ice dance duo gave extraordinary free dance performances in both the team and individual events that were among the most memorable of the 2018 Olympics. Incredible lifts, spins, and performance quality have consistently made this team one of the ones worth looking forward to watching the most and their performances at the 2018 Games was no exception.
Ekaterina Bobrova and Dmitri Soloviev
Throughout the season, Bobrova and Soloviev have given figure skating fans one of the most dramatic stories of the year with their effecting free dance. To see it performed so well, knowing the emotional backdrop of it possibly being their final Olympics, made it even more special.
Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje
There is not a better time to give your personal best than at the Olympics, and Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje managed to do just that. Their evocative free dance to Lara Fabian's soul-stirring rendition of "Je Suis Malade" was high on emotion and technical accuracy, which is not always a natural combination when it comes to ice dance.
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What a year for ice dance! It is hard to imagine any future Olympics being as phenomenally emotional as the 2018 Games were for the sport. There are moments in a person's life when you feel blessed to have been able to witness something spectacular, and that is precisely how I felt when the ice dance competition concluded with Virtue and Moir winning the gold.
There will never be another ice dance team like them. Virtue and Moir have taken the sport to its pinnacle, and it has been an honor to watch them reach it.
[Featured Image by Britt Lawrence/Eclectic Pop]
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