Despite both being unwell, they bravely participated and clinched victory by an impressive margin of 5.88 points. Madison Chock and Evan Bates clinched their fifth US figure skating championship title despite battling illness, as reported by NBC Sports on Monday. Competing between Thursday’s rhythm dance and Saturday’s free dance in Columbus, Ohio, the reigning world champions amassed a total of 215.92 points, maintaining an undefeated streak since the start of 2023. Both Chock and Bates started experiencing flu-like symptoms, including a fever, on Friday. Despite nearly opting out, they made a last-minute decision to compete just 30 minutes before their free dance performance. Despite a stumble on their first two twizzles by Bates, they secured the second-best free dance score, trailing behind Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko. However, their lead from the rhythm dance ensured their victory by an impressive overall margin of 5.88 points. Reflecting on their perform...