Champion figure skater Stellato-Dudek becomes Canadian citizen, eligible for Olympics

World champion figure skater Deanna Stellato-Dudek has gained Canadian citizenship.

She took the oath of citizenship Wednesday in Montreal, making her eligible to represent Canada at the Olympic Games.

The 41-year-old pairs skater won gold with partner Maxime Deschamps at the world championships in March, becoming the oldest woman to win a world figure skating title.

Born and raised in the United States, Stellato-Dudek has lived in Canada and represented the country in international competitions since teaming up in 2019 with Deschamps, a 32-year-old from Vaudreuil-Dorion, Que.

Stellato-Dudek, a former world junior silver medallist, retired at 17 because of a hip injury until returning to skating 16 years later with a dream of winning an Olympic medal. The Chicago native initially skated with fellow American Nathan Bartholomay for three years before moving north to partner with Deschamps.

Stellato-Dudek said earlier this year she filed the necessary paperwork for Canadian citizenship. She also started an online petition that garnered nearly 10,000 signatures.

Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps of Canada celebrate their gold medal in pairs at the Skate Canada International figure skating competition in Halifax on Saturday, October 26, 2024. (Darren Calabrese / The Canadian Press)

Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps are early podium contenders for the 2026 Olympics in Milan-Cortina, Italy.

The duo followed up their world title with gold medals at Skate Canada International and the Finlandia Trophy this fall on the Grand Prix circuit, the top series in figure skating. They withdrew from last weekend's Grand Prix final because Deschamps was recovering from an illness.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 11, 2024.