MILAN – Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps are coming to Italy.
The previous world champions from Canada are set to compete on the Milan Cortina Video games within the particular person pairs occasion after Stellato-Dudek hit her head on the ice whereas coaching in Quebec on Jan. 30, conserving one among determine skating’s most inspiring and age-defying tales alive.
The Canadian Olympic Committee and Skate Canada stated in a joint launch Tuesday that the choice to compete was made underneath the steering of medical professionals and that Stellato-Dudek is feeling properly and is wanting ahead to competing.
The 42-year-old Stellato-Dudek is poised to turn out to be the oldest feminine determine skater in practically a century to compete on the Olympics.
She and Deschamps initially withdrew from the staff occasion, which concluded Sunday, however are actually on monitor to take the ice for the person competitors Feb. 15-16 at Milano Ice Skating Enviornment.
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Initially from the Chicago space, Stellato-Dudek was a world junior silver medallist in 2000 and was projected to be the following American ladies’s singles star when a persistent hip damage compelled her into retirement at 17.
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She returned to the ice in 2016 after a team-building train at a piece retreat sparked her unlikely comeback, then moved to Canada in 2019 to staff up with Deschamps outdoors the Montreal space.
Deschamps, a 34-year-old from Vaudreuil-Dorion, Que., had cycled by means of eight companions and was near hanging up his skates earlier than Stellato-Dudek got here calling.
Collectively, they had been topped world determine skating champions on Montreal ice in 2024, as Stellato-Dudek grew to become the oldest lady in any self-discipline to seize a world title.
Stellato-Dudek gained Canadian citizenship in December that 12 months, making her eligible to symbolize the nation on the Video games.
The pair struggled to stay the touchdown previously two seasons regardless of remaining among the many world’s elite, ending a disappointing fifth on the world championships final 12 months to finish an inconsistent title-defence marketing campaign.
The three-time nationwide winners additionally dropped to a shocking second-place end on the Canadian championships in January, as Stellato-Dudek battled by means of a abdomen bug, however nonetheless secured an Olympic berth earlier than the coaching accident put her long-sought dream in jeopardy.
Stellato-Dudek is intent on having an Olympic second. She and Deschamps plan to carry out the primary assisted backflip in Olympic competitors throughout their “Carmina Burana” brief program.
She’s additionally set to skate in costumes designed by luxurious style home Oscar de la Renta, carrying a glitter-gold outfit for the brief program and a crimson costume — with a signature flower on the collar — within the free skate.
This report by The Canadian Press was first printed Feb. 10, 2026.
© 2026 The Canadian Press
