Canadian pairs team and 2024 World Champions Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps continue our A-Z series!
Advice you’d give your younger self ?
Deanna: When it feels hardest to keep going, that’s usually the moment you’re closest to a breakthrough.
Maxime: Keep working through the hard times.
Bedtime?
Deanna: 9:30/10.
Maxime: 10 pm.
Favourite Competition memory?
Deanna: Junior Grand Prix Final because I qualified in last place but ended up winning the event. Unexpected wins are great for the sport and keep the dream alive.
Maxime: World championship in Montreal, in front of friends and family.
Your last Dream or any recurring Dreams?
Deanna: Nothing recurring and I don’t recall my last dream.
Maxime: Being great at golfing.
Early mornings or late nights?
Deanna: Neither, I thrive during reasonable hours preferably.
Maxime: Early mornings.
Fun fact about yourself?
Deanna: I owned and ran an e-commerce website.
Maxime: I love history and everywhere I travel I try to read a lot about that place.
Goals that you’re working on right now?
Deanna: Working towards a powerful and undeniable performance in the short program and a skilled and beautifully executed free program at the Olympics in majestic Milan, Italy. 🤩
Maxime: The Olympics in Milano.
Hidden talent?
Deanna: I’m really good at extracting things off people’s faces, lol.
Maxime: Cooking.
Biggest Inspiration?
Deanna: Michael Jordan.
Maxime: Anybody who overcame huge challenges.
Dream Job as a child?
Deanna: I thought Olympic Champion was a lifelong job when I was younger.
Maxime: I would have liked to be a fireman.
Go-to Karaoke song?
Deanna: Well, I cannot sing, so just for fun I can scream « I will survive » by Gloria Gaynor.
Language you’d like to learn/speak?
Deanna: French and Italian.
Maxime: Spanish, Italian and Japanese.
Movie night favourite?
Deanna: Forrest Gump and Goodfellas.
Maxime: Twister and Happy Gilmore.
Niche interest of yours?
Deanna: Skincare treatments and products.
Maxime: Golf, fishing, video games and coaching.
One book, TV show or movie you would recommend?
Deanna: The Last Dance on Netflix.
Maxime: Season 1 of Quantico, Night Agent and Suits.
Do you have any Pets/a dream Pet?
Deanna: Yessss! Goldy, my maltipoo! She is the greatest and sweetest girl!
Maxime: No, but dream dog I want Goldy.
Favourite Quality about the other person?
Deanna: Max is really silly and it can be very entertaining and endearing.
Maxime: Works tirelessly and never stops pursuing her goals.
Reason to smile?
Deanna: I have family and friends that love me and the sweetest little dog.
Maxime: Getting up every morning and going to do what I love.
Season you wish it was year-round?
Deanna: Late summer into Fall. I love being warm and doing fun fall activities like apple picking.
Maxime: Spring when everything comes back to life.
Three things you’d bring to a desert island?
Deanna: Well, I don’t want to stay there. So, I would bring lots of water, a boat and endless gallons of gas.
Who or what do you think is Underrated?
Deanna: FIGURE SKATING!!!
Maxime: Figure skating.
View that takes your breath away?
Deanna: The Great Migration across the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem.
Maxime: Lake with mountain in background with a nice sunrise.
Your Whereabouts on a day off?
Deanna: In my sweatpants, on my couch, saving multiple recipes to my phone I will never make.
Maxime: Golf or sauna.
An eXperience that changed you?
Deanna: Leaving a secure job with a stable income to come back to figure skating and exclusively spend money with no certainty of success.
Maxime: All the obstacles I have faced that make me grow.
A Year that you would like to visit?
Deanna: I would love to go back to the late 80’s/early 90’s when my family was able to be together.
Maxime: So many because I love history.
What is your Zodiac sign (and your big 3), and do you believe in the zodiac?
Deanna: I don’t know my big 3, but from my birthdate I am a cancer. I believe in it somewhat, but everyone is unique.
Maxime: Sagittarius, Libra, Moon is Gemini. In a certain way I do.
Read our previous A-Z interviews:
A to Z with Annika Hocke and Robert Kunkel
