Meet Team Canada’s Figure Skating Rookies
In just a few days, Canadian skaters will step onto Olympic ice and make history on the sport’s biggest stage. Before the action begins, meet the athletes set to make their Olympic debut at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games.
Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps
Pairs team Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps have turned two remarkable comebacks into a winning combination.
Stellato-Dudek first had success in women’s singles at the junior level, earning gold at the 1999 ISU Junior Grand Prix Final and silver at the 2000 World Junior Championships. After stepping away from the sport due to injury, she made a stunning return 16 years later, this time pursuing pair skating.
Deanna Stellato-Dudek & Maxime Deschamps at the 2024 ISU World Figure Skating Championships.
Deschamps had competed with eight previous partners and was crowned the 2014 Canadian junior champion. He was considering retirement before meeting Stellato-Dudek, knowing immediately there was something special between them on the ice. In 2019, Stellato-Dudek relocated from Chicago, Illinois, to Quebec to officially team up with Deschamps.
The duo reached new heights in 2023–2024 season, earning three Grand Prix medals, the Canadian national and Four Continents titles, and capping off the season as world champions on home ice in Montreal. At 40, Stellato-Dudek made history as the oldest woman in any skating discipline to win a world title.
Since then, the team has won multiple international medals and trained on the path to reach their lifelong dream of attending the Olympic Games. This dream became within reach when Stellato-Dudek took her Canadian citizenship oath in December 2024.
Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps at Stellato-Dudek’s citizenship oath (left) and at the 2026 Olympic Team announcement (right).
“I just want to do everyone proud,” Stellato-Dudek shared. “Competing in the Olympics under the maple leaf will be the honour of our lives.”
Away from the rink, Deschamps enjoys golfing, fishing, and learning about history. Stellato-Dudek, meanwhile, has a passion for wellness and skincare – an interest she developed while working as an aesthetician during her years away from competitive skating.
Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud
Pairs team Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud are set to make their Olympic debut following a breakthrough start to the year, highlighted by capturing their first Canadian national title in January.
Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud at the 2026 Canadian National Skating Championships.
The duo teamed up in 2022 and wasted no time gaining international experience. Prior to their partnership, Michaud and his former partner were named alternates for the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games. Pereira moved to pair skating while still focusing on her singles skating career through the early years of their partnership.
United by a shared Olympic dream, Pereira and Michaud steadily built momentum throughout the quadrennial.
“Canada is an amazing country, filled with amazing people, so being able to represent them and go out there and show what Canadians are all about is the dream” Michaud shared.
Their efforts paid off with medals on the Grand Prix circuit and their first ISU Championship podium finish at the 2025 ISU Four Continents Championships.
Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud at the 2025 ISU Four Continents Championships.
Off the ice, Pereira enjoys doing her nails, spending time in nature, and working toward a degree in business management at the University of Guelph. Michaud is a disc golf enthusiast and a part-time student at McMaster University.
Stephen Gogolev
Men’s singles skater Stephen Gogolev will make his Olympic debut following a strong season, building on the success he achieved at the novice and junior levels.
During the 2018–19 season, Gogolev won gold at the ISU Junior Grand Prix Final and, at just 14 years old, captured silver in the senior men’s event at Canadian Nationals. After transitioning fully to the senior international level in 2021, Gogolev earned his first senior international medal in 2023 and represented Canada at the ISU Four Continents Championships that same season.
Stephen Gogolev: 2017 Junior National Champion (left) and 2026 Senior National Champion (right).
Gogolev reached several career milestones during the first half of the 2025-2026 season, from winning his first senior international gold to claiming his first senior ISU Grand Prix medal and topping it off with his first senior national championship title.
“Winning the national championship title and being named to the Olympic team is a goal that many athletes strive for. I’m so happy that I was able to achieve it” shared Gogolev.
Stephen Gogolev at the 2026 Canadian National Skating Championships.
When he’s not on the ice, Gogolev enjoys staying active with sports like mountain biking and tennis. He also tried alpine skiing as a child before ultimately choosing to pursue figure skating.
From February 6–19, 2026, these first-time Olympians are ready to make their mark on the ice! Follow along as they chase their dreams and create unforgettable moments. Stay in the loop – subscribe to our Olympic Newsletter for daily updates, news, and highlights from the Games, delivered straight to your inbox.