With her partner Maxime Deschamps, the 40-year-old former retiree defeated athletes less than half her age and became the oldest woman to win a World Figure Skating Championship.
Deschamps throws Stellato-Dudek into a triple twist during the pairs' free skate portion of the 2024 World Figure Skating Championships.
While elite singles skating often rewards youth – requiring immense stamina to pull off quadruple jumps or triple-triple jump combinations – pairs skating comes with its own hazards.
Minas Panagiotakis/Getty ImagesBeing the oldest female world champion was “not something that I ever set out to do when I came back to skating,” Stellato-Dudek said after her victory.
Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps won their world championship in front of a rapturous home crowd in Montreal on Thursday.
Persons:
Deanna Stellato, Dudek, Maxime Deschamps, Deschamps, Stellato, it’s, “, ”, ” ‘, ’, Minas, who’s, Nathan Bartholomay, Dudek “, I’d, Beverley Smith, Deschamps captivate, ” Stellato, Minerva Fabienne Hase, Hase, “ Deanna, ” Hase, “ I’m, Mert Alper, Smith
Organizations:
CNN, Minas Panagiotakis, ISU Junior, CBC, NBC Sports, Getty
Locations:
Stellato, Chicago, Florida, Canada, Quebec, Montreal, German, Canadian, Anadolu