World champion figure skater Deanna Stellato-Dudek is making a return to the United States after seven years competing for Canada. She will now be partnering with Danil Siianytsia in the pairs category.
Hailing from Chicago and now 43 years old, Stellato-Dudek previously represented the United States in women’s singles over two decades ago. In 2019, she transitioned to Canada’s program to skate alongside Maxime Deschamps, who retired from competitive figure skating in July.
Stellato-Dudek made history at 40 by becoming the oldest woman to secure a world figure skating title in 2024 with Deschamps. Their achievements included winning the 2024 Four Continents title and three Canadian championships. Following this success, she obtained Canadian citizenship, enabling her to compete for Canada at the Olympics.
Expressing her enthusiasm for the partnership with Siianytsia, Stellato-Dudek stated, “I’m thrilled to embark on this new journey with Danil and deeply appreciate the unwavering support from my fans. I am dedicated to making you proud and representing the USA with utmost commitment.”
Reflecting on her skating tenure, she added, “My skating endeavors have taken me on unexpected paths, but it all started in the United States. I am grateful for the experiences throughout my career and look forward to our collaboration to come.”
Despite facing challenges leading up to her long-awaited Olympic debut, Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps finished 11th at the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympics. A setback occurred when she hit her head on the ice during a training session shortly before the pairs event, receiving last-minute medical clearance. Unfortunately, a fall in the short program dashed their medal hopes.
Siianytsia, aged 25 and originally from Dnipro, Ukraine, has competed for the United States in pairs since 2017, most recently alongside Anastasiia Smirnova. The new duo of Stellato-Dudek and Siianytsia will undergo training in Colorado Springs under Olympic coach Drew Meekins in preparation for the upcoming qualifying season leading to the 2027 U.S. Figure Skating Championships.
