Naumov Skates with Legacy of Lost Parents at Milan Cortina Olympics
A heartbreaking tragedy fueled an inspiring Olympic performance as American figure skater Maxim Naumov delivered a deeply emotional short program at the Milan Cortina Games, carrying the memory of his late parents and fulfilling a shared dream. The performance came nearly a year after former pairs world champions Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov were among 67 people killed in a devastating plane crash on January 29, 2025.
The crash of American Airlines Flight 5342, which collided with a military helicopter on approach to Ronald Reagan National Airport and fell into the icy Potomac River, claimed the lives of more than two dozen members of the figure skating community. Naumov’s parents were aboard the flight, along with 11 young skaters, two other coaches, and several family members returning from a development camp in Wichita, Kansas, following the 2025 national championships.
In the wake of the tragedy, Naumov recalled one of the last conversations he had with his parents – a discussion about the dedication required to reach the Olympics. “I’ve been inspired by them since day one, ever since we stepped on the ice together,” Naumov shared, recalling a cherished photograph he brought to the kiss-and-cry area at the Milano Ice Skating Arena. The image captured a young Naumov standing between his parents, all smiling, as he took his first steps on the ice.
He described feeling their presence during his performance, not as a specific thought, but as a supportive force. “It’s not necessarily thinking about them specifically, but their presence. Feeling their presence. With every glide and step that I made on the ice, I couldn’t help but feel their support, almost like a chess piece on a chess board.”
Despite being considered a long shot for a top-10 finish, the 24-year-old Naumov delivered one of the best short programs of his career. He opened with a challenging quad salchow, watched by his godmother, Gretta Bogdan, and continued with a triple axel and a triple lutz-triple toe loop combination. As the final notes of Frederic Chopin’s Nocturne No. 20 echoed through the arena, Naumov slid to a stop on his knees and looked toward the sky, a silent message to his parents: “Look at what we’ve done.”
“I didn’t know if I was going to cry, smile or laugh,” he admitted afterward, overwhelmed by emotion. “And all I could do was look up at them. And man, I still can’t believe what just happened. I think it’s going to take me a few hours or maybe a few weeks to know.”
Naumov had already experienced profound loss prior to the Games, having finished fourth at the U.S. championships for the third consecutive year before learning of the crash. He candidly described the initial weeks after the tragedy as a period where even getting out of bed felt insurmountable. “I just wanted to rot, basically,” he told The Associated Press, but ultimately found the strength to persevere.
The realization that he could honor his parents’ memory by pursuing their shared Olympic dream reignited his passion. Securing his spot at the Games with a third-place finish at the U.S. championships in January, Naumov approached his performance with a singular focus. “To be honest,” he said Tuesday night, “I wasn’t thinking about executing anything perfectly or anything like that. I wanted to go out there and just give my heart out. Leave everything out there. Have no regrets. And that’s exactly what I felt.”
The arena erupted in applause as Naumov concluded his program, with dozens of American flags waving in support. A fan held aloft a banner emblazoned with “Tomorrow’s Champions,” the name of the skating school founded by Naumov’s parents and now overseen by him. “I love those guys,” he said with a smile.
Naumov’s short program score of 85.65 was sufficient to advance him to the men’s free skate on Friday night, offering him another opportunity to compete and continue honoring his parents’ legacy. He described the overwhelming energy of the crowd as a powerful force. “From the time that my name was announced in the warm-up to right before the skate,” Naumov said, “I felt it — just the crowd, the energy, the roar. It’s like a buzz, you know? In your body. I couldn’t help but just embrace it. Embrace that love.”
