Most athletes retire long before their forties but Deanna Stellato-Dudek is rewriting the rules. It takes courage to return to a dream you left behind around 16 years back and even more to chase it on the world’s biggest stage.

Now 42, the American-Canadian figure skating star is preparing to represent Canada for her first Olympic Games at Milano-Cortina 2026. But the road back was never smooth.

Recently, Olympics.com released an Olympic Channel Originals documentary titled “Deanna’s Dream,” which offered a close look at her return to figure skating in 2016 after retiring in 2001. The Olympic Channel’s Instagram has shared a short preview, where Stellato-Dudek can be seen speaking about the criticism she has faced throughout her comeback.

“I always go on social media to watch our performances,” she says. “Every once in a while, you know, it’s like your finger just goes there and you click the comments.  I’ve been criticized on my face, criticized on my hair, criticized on my body.” 

This U.S.-born athlete’s story begins long before her recent success. She retired from competitive figure skating in 2001 at just 17 years old. At the time, she was one of the brightest young singles skaters in the sport, having won the Junior Grand Prix Final in 1999 and earned a silver medal at the World Junior Championships in 2000. Her future looked wide open. But her body could not keep up with the demands.

She dealt with repeated injuries, including a serious hip issue, a broken ankle, a torn ankle ligament, and other long-term problems. Training became painful, and competing safely was no longer possible.

After withdrawing from events like the 2001 U.S. Championships, she made the difficult choice to step away from skating altogether as she began a career as an esthetician. For the next 16 years, elite competition was no longer part of her life. Then, in her early thirties, she made the unprecedented move to return after so long.

She switched to pairs skating, formed new partnerships, and slowly worked her way back into international competition. With that success came attention, and not all of it kind.

Figure skating has long been seen as a sport for very young athletes, especially women. Competing at a high level in her forties placed Stellato Dudek under a harsher spotlight. “When I am disappointed in the kiss and cry, some people think that I’m angry, but it’s in fact disappointment,” she explains. “If a woman shows disappointment and someone thinks that’s anger, that’s unacceptable.”

She goes on to explain the physical toll of her comeback. “I have to do hours and hours a day just to be able to do this. I do more than my younger counterparts because I have to. So because of all the additional hours I have put into this, when I don’t skate to my standard,  I am disappointed and I’m not going to apologize for that. And I shouldn’t have to because none of the men do..”

Watching her journey in figure skating has moved many fans, especially as they shared their reactions and support in the comments.

Deanna Stellato-Dudek wins fans’ hearts with incredible comeback in figure skating

One inspired figure skating fan commented, “It’s always those who are envious or disappointed with their own lives who try to tear people down online. Deanna is a remarkable woman who lives her life with intention and honesty. And has accomplished incredible things—who returns to a sport after 16 years with the goal of going to the Olympics and actually does that?! 🙌♥️👏” Another added, “👏so true, you are inspiring ❤️”

And they are right. Stellato-Dudek’s journey is extraordinary. After stepping away from competitive skating, she returned 16 years later, undeterred by the physical and mental challenges of elite competition.

She first teamed up with Nathan Bartholomay to regain her rhythm in pairs skating, representing the U.S. And then in 2019, she formed a partnership with Canada’s Maxime Deschamps, and moved to Canada to train full-time.

Top Stories

Jerry Jones Announces Retirement Plans as Dallas Cowboys Owner Makes Triple Decision on Coaching Hiring

Mike Tomlin Receives New Job Offer as Steelers Make Final Decision on Firing HC After Aaron Rodgers’ Fury – Report

Travis Kelce Announces New Career Move Away From Chiefs After Confirming Retirement Stance

Amanda Nunes’ Alleged Cousin Knocks Out Violent Customer Outside Bar as Fans Urge Dana White to Sign Her

Kayla Harrison–Amanda Nunes Fight Falls Apart Days Before UFC 324 as Dana White Dealt Major Blow

Ravens Owner Steve Bisciotti Announces Plans to Sell Franchise and Explains John Harbaugh’s Firing

Their hard work and chemistry quickly paid off. In 2022, Deanna became the oldest skater ever to win an ISU Grand Prix event at the Grand Prix de France. From there, she only found more and more success.

With Deschamps, she took the 2024 World Figure Skating Championships in pairs, the oldest woman ever to win a world title in the discipline of figure skating, as well as the 2024 Four Continents Championship.

Soon after, she went on to win six Grand Prix medals, a bronze at the Grand Prix Final, and three Canadian national championships (2023-2025). In one season, they won six out of seven events leading up to the World Championships.

And then, she became a Canadian citizen in late 2024, which legally cleared the way for her to compete for Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics alongside Deschamps.

Another figure skating fan wrote, “I love humans who can display a range of emotions in real time. It means they are real and in touch with their feelings. ❤️” Another wrote, “I love her honesty, it’s so refreshing ❤️ my favorite pairs skater.” One more added, “You feel what you feel and if you can’t change it, you might as well show it. Her reactions are always so genuine and I admire that.”

Despite this admiration, criticism has followed her throughout her comeback, peaking after her 2024 World Championship victory in Montreal, where she scored 221.56 points. But later, Deanna received more than 20,000 messages on social media, many of them criticizing her age, looks, or expressions.

“Thank goodness I’m older, I can’t imagine being a teenager and receiving messages like that,” she said. “The pendulum [of opinions] always has swung like that ever since I came back, so it was really apparent to me right away. And then as I had more success, it’s like the pendulum swing got even greater off to both sides.”

Throughout her journey, Deanna Stellato-Dudek has proven that in figure skating, resilience, commitment, and genuine character triumph over naysayers.