Deanna Stellato-Dudek to represent U.S. again, partners with Siianytsia

Deanna Stellato-Dudek, the reigning world champion in pairs figure skating, is set to represent the United States once more. U.S. Figure Skating announced Thursday that she will form a new partnership with Danil Siianytsia, marking a significant return to the program where she began her international career over two decades ago.

Stellato-Dudek, 43, had a highly successful partnership with Maxime Deschamps, representing Canada. Together, they captured the 2024 world championship title and the Four Continents title. The pair also competed at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, finishing in 11th place.

Born in Park Ridge, Illinois, Stellato-Dudek's early career in the U.S. included success in women's singles, where she won the 1999 U.S. novice title. After a hiatus from competition due to injuries, she returned to the sport in 2016, transitioning to pairs skating after a 16-year absence. Her 2024 world title made her the oldest woman to win an ISU World Figure Skating Championships title in any discipline at age 40.

Siianytsia, 25, hails from Dnipro, Ukraine, and has previously represented the U.S. in pairs skating. His past achievements include winning the 2021 U.S. junior title with Anastasiia Smirnova, a fourth-place finish at the 2022 world junior championships, and winning the 2022 Golden Spin of Zagreb.

The newly formed pair is scheduled to train in Colorado Springs under the guidance of coach Drew Meekins. Their immediate goal is to compete in the qualifying season for the 2027 U.S. Figure Skating Championships. U.S. Figure Skating's high-performance chief, Justin Dillon, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership, highlighting the blend of Stellato-Dudek's extensive experience with Siianytsia's potential as they look towards the 2030 Winter Olympics.

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I'm incredibly excited to begin this new chapter with Danil. The United States is where it all began for me.