Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud were at the mixed zone answering questions when they noticed on a nearby TV screen that the scores had changed, indicating they had won their first national title. Pereira exclaimed, “Oh my God! We won!” and embraced Michaud, who was overwhelmed with joy.
Their victory at the Canadian figure skating championships was secured by a strong performance in their free skate routine, scoring 135.03 points to surpass the reigning champions, Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps, by 12.02 points. This marked a significant comeback after trailing by over nine points following the short program.
Pereira and Michaud claimed the gold medal with a total score of 204.14, outperforming Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps, who settled for silver, and Kelly Ann Laurin and Loucas Éthier, who took bronze. The winning duo expressed their elation and emphasized the hard work and dedication they had put into their performance over the past three-and-a-half years.
Reflecting on their journey, Michaud recalled predicting their future success when they first teamed up in 2022. Pereira humorously acknowledged Michaud’s early confidence in their potential to become national champions.
Despite their disappointment, Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps are determined to regroup for the upcoming Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina. Stellato-Dudek, battling illness, expressed her unwavering commitment to competing at the Games despite facing physical challenges.
The veteran pair acknowledged their mistakes in the free skate but remained optimistic about their Olympic prospects. Stellato-Dudek highlighted the positives from the competition and congratulated Pereira and Michaud on their well-deserved victory.