World champion figure skater Deanna Stellato-Dudek has decided to return to representing the United States after spending seven seasons competing for Canada. She is now forming a new pairs partnership with Danil Siianytsia.
Having originally represented the United States in women’s singles over 25 years ago, the 43-year-old athlete made the transition to Canada’s program in 2019 to skate alongside Maxime Deschamps. Deschamps announced his retirement from competitive figure skating back in July.
Stellato-Dudek made history at the age of 40 by becoming the oldest woman to win a world figure skating title in 2024, achieving gold with Deschamps for Canada. Their successes also included winning the 2024 Four Continents title and clinching three Canadian championships. Following this, she acquired Canadian citizenship, allowing her to compete for Canada at the Olympics.
Expressing her enthusiasm for the new partnership, Stellato-Dudek stated, “I’m incredibly excited to begin this new chapter with Danil and I’m so grateful for all the fans who continue to support me through every chapter of my journey. I’ll give everything I have to make you proud and represent the USA with everything I have.”
Reflecting on her journey in the sport, she added, “My journey in this sport has taken me places I never could have imagined, but the United States is where it all began for me. I’m grateful for everything I’ve experienced throughout my career and excited about what Danil and I can build together.”
Stellato-Dudek, along with Deschamps, competed in the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympics, finishing 11th after facing challenges leading up to the event. A training accident where Stellato-Dudek hit her head on the ice less than three weeks before the pairs event caused concerns, but she received medical clearance shortly before competing. Unfortunately, a fall during the short program dashed their hopes of contending for a medal.
As for Siianytsia, a 25-year-old skater from Dnipro, Ukraine, he has been representing the United States in pairs competition 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 upcoming qualifying season leading to the 2027 U.S. Figure Skating Championships.