World champion figure skater Deanna Stellato-Dudek has decided to transition back to the United States after a seven-year tenure representing Canada. She will now be forming a new pairs partnership with Danil Siianytsia.
Originally from Chicago and now 43 years old, Stellato-Dudek previously competed for the United States in women’s singles over 25 years ago before joining Canada’s program in 2019, where she skated with Maxime Deschamps. Deschamps, her former partner, 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 claim a world figure skating title alongside Deschamps, securing gold for Canada. The duo also clinched the 2024 Four Continents title and three Canadian championships. Following these successes, Stellato-Dudek acquired Canadian citizenship, enabling her to represent Canada at the Olympics.
Expressing her excitement for the new partnership, Stellato-Dudek stated, “I’m incredibly thrilled to embark on this new journey with Danil, and I’m thankful for the unwavering support from my fans throughout my career. I am committed to giving my all to make you proud and represent the USA with utmost dedication.”
Reflecting on her skating journey, she added, “My experiences in this sport have taken me to unforeseen places, but it all began in the United States for me. I am grateful for the opportunities I have had in my career and am eager to see what Danil and I can achieve together.”
Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps participated in the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympics, finishing 11th after facing challenges leading up to Stellato-Dudek’s much-anticipated Olympic debut. A training mishap saw Stellato-Dudek sustain a head injury less than three weeks before the pairs event, with medical clearance granted only days before competing. Unfortunately, a fall during the short program dashed their medal aspirations.
On the other hand, Siianytsia, aged 25 and born in Dnipro, Ukraine, has been representing the United States in pairs competitions since 2017, previously skating with Anastasiia Smirnova.
Stellato-Dudek and Siianytsia will undergo training in Colorado Springs under Olympic coach Drew Meekins as they prepare for the qualifying season leading up to the 2027 U.S. Figure Skating Championships.