MONTREAL, QC (December 11, 2024) – Earlier this morning, Pairs World Champion Deanna Stellato-Dudek took her Oath of Citizenship in Montreal surrounded by family and friends, formalizing her status as a Canadian citizen. This marks a significant milestone towards the team’s goal of qualifying for the Milan 2026 Winter Olympic Games. 

“Taking the Oath of Citizenship in Canada is an overwhelming honor and I am filled with gratitude towards everyone who believed in me and helped me get here. I continue to be grateful to compete under the Canadian flag and anthem and can’t wait for my first international event as an official Canadian citizen with my partner Maxime,” said the Chicago native.  

The former Junior women’s World medalist returned to the sport in 2016 after a 16-year hiatus, choosing to make the switch from singles to pair skating. Stellato-Dudek and partner Maxime Deschamps first started competing together in 2019 and have since reached national and international success, including countless medals on the Grand Prix circuit and titles at both the 2024 ISU Four Continents Championships and 2024 ISU World Figure Skating Championships.  

Stellato-Dudek’s newly acquired Canadian citizenship qualifies her to compete for Canada at the Olympics, in accordance with Rules 40 and 41 of the Olympic Charter, which require athletes to hold the nationality of the country represented by their National Olympic Committee (NOC). The pair will now be looking to qualify for the 2026 Winter Olympic Games, set to take place in Milan, Italy in February 2026. 

In the meantime, Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps will seek to defend their national title for a third consecutive year at the 2025 Canadian National Skating Championships, taking place at Laval’s Place Bell from January 14-19, 2025.