Deanna Stellato-Dudek, a former world champion figure skater, is making a notable return to the United States after a successful seven-year stint representing Canada. She is embarking on a fresh pairs partnership with Danil Siianytsia.
Hailing from Chicago and now 43 years old, Stellato-Dudek previously competed for the United States in women’s singles over 25 years ago. In 2019, she transitioned to Canada’s figure skating program to team up with Maxime Deschamps, who later announced his retirement from competitive skating in July.
In a remarkable achievement, Stellato-Dudek, at 40, clinched the title of the oldest woman to win a world figure skating championship in 2024 alongside Deschamps, securing gold for Canada. Their success extended to claiming the 2024 Four Continents title and three Canadian championships. Subsequently, she acquired Canadian citizenship, enabling her to represent Canada at the Olympics.
Expressing her enthusiasm for the new partnership, Stellato-Dudek stated, “I’m incredibly excited to begin this new chapter with Danil, and I’m so grateful for all the fans who continue to support me through every chapter of my journey. I’ll give everything I have to make you proud and represent the USA with everything I have.”
Looking ahead to the upcoming U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Stellato-Dudek and Siianytsia are set to train under the guidance of Olympic coach Drew Meekins in Colorado Springs. Despite facing challenges leading up to the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympics, where they finished 11th, including a training injury, Stellato-Dudek remains determined to build a successful partnership with Siianytsia.