France's Cizeron Wins 2nd Olympic Gold With New Partner

Guillaume Cizeron proved that sometimes a fresh start leads to golden endings.

The French ice dancer claimed his second straight Olympic gold medal Wednesday in Milan, skating with new partner Laurence Fournier Beaudry just four years after winning with Gabriella Papadakis. The duo scored a combined 225.82 points across two routines, narrowly beating American favorites Madison Chock and Evan Bates by less than two points.

Their winning free dance set to "The Whale" soundtrack looked effortless as they glided across the ice. After Monday's rhythm dance put them in first place with 90.18 points, they held their nerve to finish on top.

"Oh my God, it's just surreal," Cizeron said after their victory. "To look back at everything that we've been through. Determination and strength, of this one and of our team, the support that we've had, the love that we've had."

The path to this moment wasn't easy. Cizeron and his previous partner Papadakis had a high profile falling out after their 2022 Beijing victory. Finding chemistry with a new partner in elite ice dance is rare at the Olympic level, where partnerships often span entire careers.

Canadian-born Fournier Beaudry brought her own competitive fire to the partnership. The pair won the European title together just last month, building momentum heading into Milan.

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

American couple Chock and Bates, who are married in real life, delivered a sultry and smooth free dance that earned them silver. Canadian duo Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier rounded out the podium with bronze after a vibrant performance to a cover of Don McLean's "Vincent."

Why This Inspires

Cizeron's story shows that career setbacks don't have to be endings. After his partnership with Papadakis dissolved, many wondered if he could recapture Olympic magic with someone new. Instead of dwelling on the past, he and Fournier Beaudry built something special together in just a few short years.

Their victory proves that resilience and willingness to start fresh can lead to extraordinary outcomes. Sometimes the best chapters of our lives are still unwritten.