World champion figure skater Deanna Stellato-Dudek has decided to return to the United States after representing Canada for seven seasons. She is partnering with Danil Siianytsia in a new pairs team.
Originally 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 program to skate alongside Maxime Deschamps, who recently retired from competitive figure skating in July.
Stellato-Dudek made history at the age of 40 by becoming the oldest woman to win a world figure skating championship in 2024 with Deschamps. Their successes also included winning the 2024 Four Continents title and securing three Canadian championships. She obtained Canadian citizenship, enabling her to represent Canada at the Olympics.
Expressing her enthusiasm for the new partnership with Siianytsia, Stellato-Dudek conveyed her gratitude towards her supporters and pledged to give her all to make them proud while representing the USA. She reflected on her journey in the sport, expressing gratitude for her experiences and looking forward to building something special with Danil.
Following a challenging lead-up to her long-awaited Olympic debut, where she and Deschamps finished 11th at the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympics, Stellato-Dudek faced setbacks after hitting her head on the ice during training. Despite receiving medical clearance shortly before the competition, a fall in the short program dashed their medal hopes.
Siianytsia, aged 25 and originally from Dnipro, Ukraine, has been competing for the United States in pairs events since 2017, previously partnering with Anastasiia Smirnova. Stellato-Dudek and Siianytsia will be training in Colorado Springs under the guidance of Olympic coach Drew Meekins as they prepare for the 2027 U.S. Figure Skating Championships qualifying season.
