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Naumov secures Olympic spot following family tragedy
Maxim Naumov, whose parents died in a mid-air collision last year, will compete for the United States at the upcoming Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina.
Parents' legacy in figure skating
Naumov's parents, Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova, were former world champions in pairs figure skating, winning the title in 1994 while representing Russia. They later relocated to the U.S. and coached at the Skating Club of Boston.
The crash that changed everything
In January 2025, Vadim and Evgenia were among 67 people killed when an American Airlines flight from Kansas collided with a military helicopter over Washington, D.C. The flight was carrying 64 passengers, including 28 connected to U.S. figure skating-athletes, coaches, and parents-who were returning from the 2025 U.S. Championships in Wichita. There were no survivors.
A dream fulfilled
Naumov, 24, placed third at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in St. Louis on Saturday, earning a spot on the 16-member U.S. Olympic team. He finished behind Ilia Malinin and Andrew Torgashev.
During the competition, Naumov held a photo of himself as a child with his parents. "I thought of them immediately," he said on Sunday, as quoted by U.S. Figure Skating. "I wish they could be here to experience it with me, but I do feel their presence, and they are with me."
"We did it," Naumov said when asked what his parents would say if they were watching.
Olympic outlook
The figure skating competition at the Winter Olympics begins on February 6. Naumov will be one of the athletes representing the U.S. in the event.
