Meryl Davis and Charlie White won’t compete in 2018 Olympics

Olympic ice dancers Meryl Davis and Charlie White will not be competing in the next Olympics. 

The popular pair -- who became the first U.S. Olympic ice dance gold medalists with their win at the Sochi 2014 Games -- announced on the “Today” show that they won’t be participating in the 2018 Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea. 

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“I hate to be a little bit of a downer maybe for our fans, but we’ve decided not to compete at the Olympics,” White said, adding that the two would like to take some time out for themselves. 

They are both still dancing professionally in gigs like their Stars on Ice tour, but White said, “I think just expanding our lives outside of competitive skating is really what we’re enjoying in our lives so much right now.”

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White and Davis said they’re not retiring from the sport, though, so don’t rule out a 2022 comeback. 

White tweeted jokingly, “It’s a bittersweet day. All we ask is that we be everyone’s all-time favorite Olympians,” while Davis wrote, “We’d like to thank everyone so much for the support we always receive -- it’s truly appreciated. Always #TeamUSA.”