World champion figure skater Deanna Stellato-Dudek, originally from Chicago, is making a return to the United States after representing Canada for seven seasons. She is now forming a new pairs partnership with Danil Siianytsia. Stellato-Dudek, aged 43, had previously competed for the United States in women’s singles over 25 years ago before transitioning to Canada’s program in 2019 to skate alongside Maxime Deschamps.
Deschamps, her former partner, declared his retirement from competitive figure skating in July. Stellato-Dudek achieved a remarkable feat at 40 by becoming the oldest woman to secure a world figure skating title in 2024 with Deschamps representing Canada. Together, they also clinched the 2024 Four Continents title and three Canadian championships. Following this success, she obtained Canadian citizenship, enabling her to vie for Canada at the Olympics.
Expressing her excitement about partnering with Siianytsia, Stellato-Dudek thanked her loyal fans for their unwavering support throughout her journey. She affirmed her commitment to giving her all to represent the USA proudly. Reflecting on her career, Stellato-Dudek acknowledged her beginnings in the United States and looks forward to the new prospects that lie ahead with Siianytsia.
After a challenging lead-up to her anticipated Olympic debut, Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps finished 11th at the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympics. A training mishap where Stellato-Dudek hit her head on the ice just weeks before the event posed difficulties, but she managed to secure medical clearance days before competing. Unfortunately, a fall during the short program dashed their chances of medal contention.
Siianytsia, aged 25 and hailing from Dnipro, Ukraine, has been representing the United States in pairs competition since 2017, most recently alongside Anastasiia Smirnova. Stellato-Dudek and Siianytsia will undergo training in Colorado Springs under Olympic coach Drew Meekins as they prepare for the qualifying season leading up to the 2027 U.S. Figure Skating Championships.
