World champion figure skater Deanna Stellato-Dudek has decided to return to the United States after a seven-year stint representing Canada. She is now teaming up with Danil Siianytsia to form a new pairs partnership.
Stellato-Dudek, a 43-year-old from Chicago, previously competed for the United States in women’s singles over 25 years ago before joining Canada’s program in 2019 to skate alongside Maxime Deschamps. Deschamps recently announced his retirement from competitive figure skating in July.
In 2024, at the age of 40, Stellato-Dudek made history by becoming the oldest woman to clinch a world figure skating title with Deschamps for Canada. The duo also secured the 2024 Four Continents title and three Canadian championships. Stellato-Dudek later obtained 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 embark on this new journey with Danil. I am thankful for the unwavering support of my fans throughout my career and will strive to make them proud while representing the USA wholeheartedly.”
Reflecting on her skating journey, she added, “My path in this sport has led me to unexpected places, but the United States is where it all began. I appreciate the experiences gained throughout my career and look forward to the future with Danil.”
Following a challenging lead-up to her long-awaited Olympic debut, Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps finished 11th at the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympics. In the midst of preparations, Stellato-Dudek suffered a head injury during a training session less than three weeks before the pairs event, receiving medical clearance only days prior to competing. Unfortunately, a fall in the short program dashed their hopes of contending for a medal.
Siianytsia, aged 25 and originally from Dnipro, Ukraine, has been competing for the United States in pairs since 2017, most recently partnering with Anastasiia Smirnova. Stellato-Dudek and Siianytsia will be training in Colorado Springs under the guidance of Olympic coach Drew Meekins in preparation for the upcoming qualifying season leading to the 2027 U.S. Figure Skating Championships.