Deanna Stellato-Dudek injured pre-Olympics - news & updates

[zigzig]

I randomly just watched her documentary and am so happy they made it. I competed at the same Junior Olympics with her in 1997 (!!!) so the fact that Deanna's at the Olympics almost 30 (!!!) years later makes me thrilled beyond belief. I hope they have a great time and skate their hearts out. I need an uplifting Olympic story after that ice dance debacle.

 

[Judy]

Deanna and Max were interviewed by the press at the olympics and confirm it wasn’t a concussion but have removed the back flip … https://x.com/Devin_Heroux/status/2022292615522103384

 

[victorskid]

Deanna and Max were interviewed by the press at the olympics and confirm it wasn’t a concussion but have removed the back flip … https://x.com/Devin_Heroux/status/2022292615522103384

For those who don't want to go to X, Devin also posted on Bluesky -

Devin Heroux (@devinheroux.bsky.social)

DEANNA AND MAX ARE ON OLYMPIC PRACTICE ICE Delayed but they have made it. Canadian pairs team Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Max Deschamps are here for their first practice. They’ll compete in the short program on Sunday.

bsky.app

Devin Heroux (@devinheroux.bsky.social)

Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Max Deschamps meet the press at the Olympics Deanna says the last week and a half has been a living nightmare. Won’t disclose injury but says it wasn’t a concussion They’ve removed the backflip from their program. Grateful to Canadians for all the support

bsky.app

Devin Heroux (@devinheroux.bsky.social)

Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Max Deschamps so gracious here answering every question. Deanna said a number of times she was so grateful to Canadians and fans around the world who sent messages. She said she believes it helped her get to the Olympics.

bsky.app

 

[Baby Yoda On Skates]

I'm glad they removed the backflip. It always just seemed out of place and was a jarring moment in the program.

 

[Sylvia]

Golden Skate's compilation of Deanna/Max's quotes:

Golden Skate on Instagram: "Deanna Stellato-Dudek / Maxime Deschamps 🇨🇦 pre competition mixed zone: On returning to the Olympic ice after the past weeks: Deanna: “The last one and a half weeks were a living nightmare that I wouldn’t wish on anyone.

449 likes, 5 comments - goldsk8 on February 13, 2026: "Deanna Stellato-Dudek / Maxime Deschamps 🇨🇦 pre competition mixed zone: On returning to the Olympic ice after the past weeks: Deanna: “The last one and a half weeks were a living nightmare that I wouldn’t wish on anyone. My doctors told me...

www.instagram.com

Jackie Wong's practice notes - "Stellato/Deschamps: S solo 2A, D solo 3T, thr3Lo(hand), runthru (marked Tw, sbs3T, thr3Lo, 5RLi4), 3Tw4, sbs3S(S 1S)
Stellato/Deschamps' practice looked completely normal - you wouldn't have known anything had been wrong if you just watched that practice"

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Deanna and Max were interviewed by the press at the olympics and confirm it wasn’t a concussion but have removed the back flip … https://x.com/Devin_Heroux/status/2022292615522103384

It never made sense to me as it was not worth any points, and I’m not even sure was part of choreography really. I mean, at least they get to say they were the first pairs team to ever do a backflip, but it didn’t seem to make much sense.

 

[Wyliefan]

Oh, I'm glad it wasn't a concussion.

 

[fan]

Thank goodness that the injury wasn't as bad as some of us had imagined.

 

[fsfann]

It never made sense to me as it was not worth any points, and I’m not even sure was part of choreography really. I mean, at least they get to say they were the first pairs team to ever do a backflip, but it didn’t seem to make much sense.

One thing it did do, was it always got a lot of cheers from the people in the rink...so it did give them that extra 'energy boost'...

 

[Judy]

It never made sense to me as it was not worth any points, and I’m not even sure was part of choreography really. I mean, at least they get to say they were the first pairs team to ever do a backflip, but it didn’t seem to make much sense.

So it is now a Guinness World Record?

 

[shutterbug]

CBC article: Stellato-Dudek cautious in return from injury, but figure skater again prepared to challenge her fears

She would not get into the specifics of her accident, which caused the pair to miss the team event. “It has been less than 10 days. I, myself, have not processed what happened. Since the moment the accident occurred the only focus was tunnel vision: How can I get here?”

There are other mysteries. She claimed that she did not suffer a concussion. “That would have been difficult to recover from,” she said, and she talked about doing exercises, not normally part of post-concussion protocol.

 

[Rob]

I cannot find the link now but I read on a Reddit thread that all of her neck muscles seized and she couldn’t move her head. The poster sounded like they knew someone on her team, but for the life of me, I can’t pull it back up, maybe deleted?

 

[Allskate]

Deanna says that they were only off the ice for three days and that nearly everything she has heard or read is incorrect:

Jackie Wong on Instagram: "More from Deanna Stellato today on her accident. #MilanoCortina2026"

665 likes, 3 comments - rockerskating on February 13, 2026: "More from Deanna Stellato today on her accident. #MilanoCortina2026".

www.instagram.com