Teammates and competitors alike are expressing their sympathies for Deanna Stellato-Dudek after the 42-year-old was forced to withdraw from the figure skating team event at the Winter Olympics after she was injured at training. And reporter Devin Heroux described it as an “awful” moment on Wednesday night when the music of Stellato-Dudek and partner Maxime Deschamps was played at the figure skating arena in Milan despite them not being in attendance.
Canadian veteran Stellato-Dudek was injured in Quebec and hasn’t yet flown out to the Games in Italy. The Canadian team are holding out hope she’ll still be able to compete in the pairs event on February 15 and 16.
Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud (L) will skate both programs in the team event after Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps (R) pulled out. Image: Getty
On Wednesday night, Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps were announced for their scheduled practice session at the main skating arena, even though they weren’t even in the country. Their music then played around the arena despite no-one being on the ice.
Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps have been forced to withdraw from the figure skating team event at the Winter Olympics.
(VCG via Getty Images)
In their absence, teammates Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud will complete both pairs programs in the team event. “Our heart goes out to them,” Pereira said. “No athlete ever wishes to have that happen, and especially so close to the Games.
“We’ve known Deanna and Max for the last couple of years. They’re competitors, but they’re also friends and teammates. It was really weird arriving here and them not being here.”
Deanna Stellato-Dudek eyeing Winter Olympics history
If she competes, Stellato-Dudek will become the oldest female figure skater at the Olympics in nearly a century. The team’s high-performance director Mike Slipchuk said they’ll aim to make a final decision by February 10, which would give Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps enough time to travel to Italy and acclimatise.
“This is the spot Deanna and Max have earned,” he said. “We want to give them every opportunity to have their chance to be here.”
Kelly Ann Laurin and Loucas Éthier are on standby if Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps are out of the pairs event as well. Pereira and Michaud beat Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps to win their first national title last month.
Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud hit the ice on Wednesday night in the absence of their teammates.
(Getty Images)
Madeline Schizas, who is Canada’s entry in the women’s singles, called Stellato-Dudek’s situation “every athlete’s worst nightmare.” Schizas added: “She’s worked so hard and so long for this dream. I cannot imagine what she’s going through right now.”
Piper Gilles said she was “gutted” for Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps. “No one wants to go into the Olympic Games being injured. We’re rooting for them,” she said. “What’s most important is your health. We know that first and foremost. If you don’t have that, you don’t have anything. Health is first, competing second.”