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 sportB次元官网网址檚 history.
B次元官网网址淐an I get a quote beside the record book? ItB次元官网网址檇 be like B次元官网网址�40 is the new 20,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� Stellato-Dudek said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 something I carry with pride. IB次元官网网址檓 very proud of it. I hope a lot of athletes stay around a lot longer.
B次元官网网址淚 hope it encourages people to not stop before theyB次元官网网址檝e reached their potential.B次元官网网址�
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.
TheyB次元官网网址檙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 B次元官网网址� even if it meant switching nationalities.
B次元官网网址淢y younger self would think IB次元官网网址檓 crazy,B次元官网网址� said Stellato-Dudek, whoB次元官网网址檚 confident sheB次元官网网址檒l get Canadian citizenship before the Milano-Cortina Games. B次元官网网址淪he wanted to win the 2006 Olympics, so she would be wondering why IB次元官网网址檓 going for the 2026 Olympics.B次元官网网址�
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.
B次元官网网址淪heB次元官网网址檚 a warrior. For her, itB次元官网网址檚 Olympics every day,B次元官网网址� Deschamps said. B次元官网网址淲e have two very different stories, but at the end of the day it shows our determination and perseverance.
B次元官网网址淎ll the work that weB次元官网网址檝e done in our respective careers has brought us to where we are today.B次元官网网址�
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 B次元官网网址淚nterview With a VampireB次元官网网址�
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).
B次元官网网址淲e had a lot of pressure, a lot of nerves, for us it was the most pressure weB次元官网网址檝e ever faced,B次元官网网址� Deschamps said. B次元官网网址淭o see what sheB次元官网网址檚 accomplished at the age sheB次元官网网址檚 at is incredible.B次元官网网址�
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.
B次元官网网址淗e was so dizzy and he tried to stand up a couple of times, but every time he tried to stand up, he couldnB次元官网网址檛 keep his balance,B次元官网网址� Marcotte said.
Marcotte added that Kihara was starting to feel better after receiving fluids from doctors.
GermanyB次元官网网址檚 Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin took bronze (210.40). Hase called Stellato-Dudek an inspiration.
B次元官网网址淒eanna, with your age, itB次元官网网址檚 amazing. We were all bowing in front of you,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淵ou have my highest respect.B次元官网网址�
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 B次元官网网址淕o Deanna & MaxB次元官网网址� signs to support the hometown duo.
B次元官网网址淭his, for me, is really a dream come true,B次元官网网址� 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 menB次元官网网址檚 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 menB次元官网网址檚 short program earlier Thursday.
Uno led the pack with a 107.72 score. JapanB次元官网网址檚 Yuma Kagiyama B次元官网网址� the 2022 Olympic silver medallist B次元官网网址� was second (106.35) ahead of American Ilia Malinin (105.97).
B次元官网网址淚 could have performed a lot better, and a few minor things here and there I could have really done them a lot better,B次元官网网址� Malinin, this yearB次元官网网址檚 top-ranked menB次元官网网址檚 skater, said. B次元官网网址淏ut overall IB次元官网网址檓 just happy with my score.B次元官网网址�
Malinin, a bronze medallist at last yearB次元官网网址檚 world championship, said the last few weeks have been a B次元官网网址渞eally tough challengeB次元官网网址� because he hasnB次元官网网址檛 felt well. Asked if it was an injury or illness, the 19-year-old said B次元官网网址渂oth,B次元官网网址� but wouldnB次元官网网址檛 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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