Figure skater Maxim Naumov has been named a member of the 2026 U.S. Olympic team, nearly a year after his parents were killed in a tragic plane crash.
The 24-year-old’s parents, former 1994 world champions Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova, were among the 67 people killed when their American Airlines plane crashed into a military helicopter near Washington, D.C., on January 29, 2025.
Naumov earned his spot as one of 16 skaters representing the U.S. at the Winter Olympics with a third-place finish at last week’s U.S. Figure Skating Championships.
He was also among three men named to the figure skating team, alongside U.S. champion Ilia Malinin and runner-up Andrew Torgashev, according to NBC News.
The Winter Olympics are set to start on February 6 in Italy.
Following the U.S. championship in January 2025 in Wichita, Kansas, Naumov finished in fourth and left on a flight soon after. However, his parents, who worked as coaches at the Skating Club of Boston, stayed longer.
On their way home, their American Airlines flight to Washington collided mid-air with a military helicopter over the Potomac River, killing 67 people.
“Every day, year after year, we talked about the Olympics. It means so much in our family, and it’s what I’ve been thinking about since I was five years old, before I even knew how to think or what to think,” Naumov said.
“So, I can’t even say in words how much this means to me,” Naumov added.
Naumov brought an old photograph of himself alongside his parents to the kiss-and-cry area Thursday night as he awaited seeing his scores.
“I thought of them immediately,” he said Sunday, according to 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.”
Naumov also made headlines after making a poignant tribute to his parents at the world championship gala last March.
Following his performance, Naumov came to a stop on the ice, looked up and patted his heart.
"This is for you guys," he said, addressing his parents in Russian. "You guys are with me. I love you both."
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