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 sport91裸聊视频檚 history.
91裸聊视频淐an I get a quote beside the record book? It91裸聊视频檇 be like 91裸聊视频�40 is the new 20,91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频� Stellato-Dudek said. 91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 something I carry with pride. I91裸聊视频檓 very proud of it. I hope a lot of athletes stay around a lot longer.
91裸聊视频淚 hope it encourages people to not stop before they91裸聊视频檝e reached their potential.91裸聊视频�
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.
They91裸聊视频檙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 91裸聊视频� even if it meant switching nationalities.
91裸聊视频淢y younger self would think I91裸聊视频檓 crazy,91裸聊视频� said Stellato-Dudek, who91裸聊视频檚 confident she91裸聊视频檒l get Canadian citizenship before the Milano-Cortina Games. 91裸聊视频淪he wanted to win the 2006 Olympics, so she would be wondering why I91裸聊视频檓 going for the 2026 Olympics.91裸聊视频�
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.
91裸聊视频淪he91裸聊视频檚 a warrior. For her, it91裸聊视频檚 Olympics every day,91裸聊视频� Deschamps said. 91裸聊视频淲e have two very different stories, but at the end of the day it shows our determination and perseverance.
91裸聊视频淎ll the work that we91裸聊视频檝e done in our respective careers has brought us to where we are today.91裸聊视频�
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 91裸聊视频淚nterview With a Vampire91裸聊视频�
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).
91裸聊视频淲e had a lot of pressure, a lot of nerves, for us it was the most pressure we91裸聊视频檝e ever faced,91裸聊视频� Deschamps said. 91裸聊视频淭o see what she91裸聊视频檚 accomplished at the age she91裸聊视频檚 at is incredible.91裸聊视频�
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.
91裸聊视频淗e was so dizzy and he tried to stand up a couple of times, but every time he tried to stand up, he couldn91裸聊视频檛 keep his balance,91裸聊视频� Marcotte said.
Marcotte added that Kihara was starting to feel better after receiving fluids from doctors.
Germany91裸聊视频檚 Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin took bronze (210.40). Hase called Stellato-Dudek an inspiration.
91裸聊视频淒eanna, with your age, it91裸聊视频檚 amazing. We were all bowing in front of you,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淵ou have my highest respect.91裸聊视频�
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 91裸聊视频淕o Deanna & Max91裸聊视频� signs to support the hometown duo.
91裸聊视频淭his, for me, is really a dream come true,91裸聊视频� 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 men91裸聊视频檚 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 men91裸聊视频檚 short program earlier Thursday.
Uno led the pack with a 107.72 score. Japan91裸聊视频檚 Yuma Kagiyama 91裸聊视频� the 2022 Olympic silver medallist 91裸聊视频� was second (106.35) ahead of American Ilia Malinin (105.97).
91裸聊视频淚 could have performed a lot better, and a few minor things here and there I could have really done them a lot better,91裸聊视频� Malinin, this year91裸聊视频檚 top-ranked men91裸聊视频檚 skater, said. 91裸聊视频淏ut overall I91裸聊视频檓 just happy with my score.91裸聊视频�
Malinin, a bronze medallist at last year91裸聊视频檚 world championship, said the last few weeks have been a 91裸聊视频渞eally tough challenge91裸聊视频� because he hasn91裸聊视频檛 felt well. Asked if it was an injury or illness, the 19-year-old said 91裸聊视频渂oth,91裸聊视频� but wouldn91裸聊视频檛 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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