World champion figure skater Deanna Stellato-Dudek, who previously competed for Canada for seven seasons, is returning to represent the United States. She will now partner with Danil Siianytsia in pairs competition.
Stellato-Dudek, a 43-year-old from Chicago, originally skated for the United States in women’s singles over 25 years ago. In 2019, she transitioned to Canada to skate with Maxime Deschamps, who retired from competitive figure skating in July.
In 2024, at the age of 40, Stellato-Dudek became the oldest woman to win a world figure skating title with Deschamps for Canada. They also claimed the 2024 Four Continents title and three Canadian championships. Subsequently, she acquired Canadian citizenship to be eligible for Olympic representation.
Expressing her enthusiasm for the new partnership with Siianytsia, Stellato-Dudek stated, “I’m incredibly excited to begin this new chapter with Danil and represent the USA with everything I have.” She emphasized her gratitude for the support from fans and reflected on her skating journey, acknowledging that the United States is where it all started for her.
Despite facing challenges leading up to her Olympic debut, including a head injury during training, Stellato-Dudek competed with Deschamps at the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympics, finishing 11th. Siianytsia, aged 25 and originally from Dnipro, Ukraine, has been competing for the United States in pairs since 2017.
Stellato-Dudek and Siianytsia will undergo training in Colorado Springs with Olympic coach Drew Meekins as they prepare for the upcoming qualifying season for the 2027 U.S. Figure Skating Championships.