They Were Going for a Medal. Then 'in a Flash, Disaster'

Olympic figure skaters in Pyeongchang have confronted wardrobe malfunctions and political controversy, but heartbreak is what came for American partners Madison Chock and Evan Bates. Per USA Today, both skaters tumbled to the ice Tuesday during their long program after their skate blades got caught up together during a combination spin, dashing their dreams for an Olympic medal. "In a flash, disaster struck," Bates lamented after their ninth-place finish. "There's no other way to put it." Chock's take as it happened in real time: "My God, our butts are on the ice where our skates are supposed to be."

HuffPost notes the NBC commentary that deemed their fall "heartbreaking." "I don't know how you carry on with the rest of the program because you know your chance for a medal is gone," sportscaster Terry Gannon noted. To their credit, Chock and Bates did carry on, and did pretty well, though it obviously wasn't enough to carry them to the medal podium. (Skater Adam Rippon nabbed an NBC gig—then gave it up.)