Deanna Stellato-Dudek etched her name into the history books on Thursday night, proving her age is just a number.
Stellato-Dudek captured gold alongside Canadian pairs partner Maxime Deschamps at the world figure skating championships. The 40-year-old became the oldest woman to win a world title in the sport鈥檚 history.
鈥淐an I get a quote beside the record book? It鈥檇 be like 鈥�40 is the new 20,鈥欌�� Stellato-Dudek said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 something I carry with pride. I鈥檓 very proud of it. I hope a lot of athletes stay around a lot longer.
鈥淚 hope it encourages people to not stop before they鈥檝e reached their potential.鈥�
Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps are the first Canadian pair to win gold since Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford won back-to-back world titles in 2015 and 2016.
They鈥檙e also as unlikely a pairing as they come.
Stellato-Dudek was pegged as a rising American figure skating star over two decades ago after winning a singles silver medal at the 2000 world junior championship, but retired at 17 due to a chronic hip injury.
The Chicago native revived her career 16 years later as a pairs skater and in 2019 moved to Montreal to team up with Deschamps with the stated goal of competing at the 2026 Olympics 鈥� even if it meant switching nationalities.
鈥淢y younger self would think I鈥檓 crazy,鈥� said Stellato-Dudek, who鈥檚 confident she鈥檒l get Canadian citizenship before the Milano-Cortina Games. 鈥淪he wanted to win the 2006 Olympics, so she would be wondering why I鈥檓 going for the 2026 Olympics.鈥�
The 32-year-old Deschamps of Vaudreuil-Dorion, Que., ran through eight different figure skating partners before finding the one that would propel him to a world title.
鈥淪he鈥檚 a warrior. For her, it鈥檚 Olympics every day,鈥� Deschamps said. 鈥淲e have two very different stories, but at the end of the day it shows our determination and perseverance.
鈥淎ll the work that we鈥檝e done in our respective careers has brought us to where we are today.鈥�
The two-time national champions arrived at the Bell Centre with a 3.95-point cushion from placing first in the short program on Wednesday.
And despite the fact Stellato-Dudek said she felt sick on Thursday, they followed it up with a personal-best 144.08 in the free program while skating to 鈥淚nterview With a Vampire鈥�
Their total of 221.56 was just enough to dethrone defending champions Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara of Japan, who posted the best score of the free program but finished with silver (217.88).
鈥淲e had a lot of pressure, a lot of nerves, for us it was the most pressure we鈥檝e ever faced,鈥� Deschamps said. 鈥淭o see what she鈥檚 accomplished at the age she鈥檚 at is incredible.鈥�
Miura and Kihara did not take part in the medal ceremony. Coach Bruno Marcotte said Kihara started coughing, hyperventilating and experiencing low blood sugar after the competition.
鈥淗e was so dizzy and he tried to stand up a couple of times, but every time he tried to stand up, he couldn鈥檛 keep his balance,鈥� Marcotte said.
Marcotte added that Kihara was starting to feel better after receiving fluids from doctors.
Germany鈥檚 Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin took bronze (210.40). Hase called Stellato-Dudek an inspiration.
鈥淒eanna, with your age, it鈥檚 amazing. We were all bowing in front of you,鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou have my highest respect.鈥�
Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps received a standing ovation from the Bell Centre crowd before they even finished the program. Fans held up Canadian flags and 鈥淕o Deanna & Max鈥� signs to support the hometown duo.
鈥淭his, for me, is really a dream come true,鈥� Stellato-Dudek said.
Lia Pereira of Milton, Ont., and Trennt Michaud of Brantford, Ont., finished eighth (186.93).
Local pair Kelly Ann Laurin of Saint-Jerome, Que., and Loucas Ethier of St-Alphonse, Que., were 15th (169.48) in their world championship debut.
The world championships go through the men鈥檚 free program on Saturday night.
STARTING OUT STRONG
Two-time defending champion Shoma Uno of Japan is on the right track to a three-peat after placing first in the men鈥檚 short program earlier Thursday.
Uno led the pack with a 107.72 score. Japan鈥檚 Yuma Kagiyama 鈥� the 2022 Olympic silver medallist 鈥� was second (106.35) ahead of American Ilia Malinin (105.97).
鈥淚 could have performed a lot better, and a few minor things here and there I could have really done them a lot better,鈥� Malinin, this year鈥檚 top-ranked men鈥檚 skater, said. 鈥淏ut overall I鈥檓 just happy with my score.鈥�
Malinin, a bronze medallist at last year鈥檚 world championship, said the last few weeks have been a 鈥渞eally tough challenge鈥� because he hasn鈥檛 felt well. Asked if it was an injury or illness, the 19-year-old said 鈥渂oth,鈥� but wouldn鈥檛 specify further.
Roman Sadovsky of Vaughan, Ont., wowed the home crowd and posted 84.28 points, shattering his previous season-best of 72.44 to finish 11th. Canadian champion Wesley Chiu of Vancouver was 18th (78.00).
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