It was in tears and under the loud ovations of the public that Quebecer Deanna Stellato-Dudek became, along with Maxime Deschamps, at 40 years old the oldest woman to win gold in a figure skating event. Smashing their personal bests during the short and free program, they won with 221.56 points ahead of the Japanese Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara (217.88 points).
“It’s a truly incredible feeling, I have no words to describe what we have just experienced,” said Maxime Deschamps, 32. “We felt so much love from the public, the fervor behind us,” added Deanna Stellato-Dudek. “What we have just experienced is the dream of a lifetime.” It was to the music of the film “Interview with the Vampire” that the couple won, despite placing second in the free program. On the third step of the podium, the German couple composed of Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin, with 210.40 points.
Deanna Stellato-Dudek is the story of a magical comeback: a teenage skater in the 2000s, she took a 16-year break before returning to competition. “When I came back, my only goal was not to leave prematurely this time,” she explained in an interview. “I wanted to feel, whether I succeeded or not, that I had given everything I had so that, at 80 years old, while enjoying a glass of wine over dinner, I could say: You know , I went back and did it.”
In the aisles of the ice rink, home of the Montreal Canadiens hockey team, the atmosphere was festive. On the last lift of their free program, the crowd finished on their feet, covering the music with their clamor. “It’s the chance of a lifetime to win in front of your home crowd. We are so happy for them, for Canada, it’s an extraordinary story,” says Mahely Laurin, 15, who came with her family. This is the first time since 1932 that the Championships have been held in Montreal. They were to take place there in 2020, but were canceled due to Covid.
