Who is Maxim Naumov? US figure skater dedicates his Olympic debut to late parents killed in midair crash

US figure skater Maxim Naumov turned his Olympic debut into a moving tribute to his late parents Tuesday night, delivering an emotional short program at the Milan Cortina Games that fulfilled a dream they once shared. Naumov’s parents, Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov - former world champions in pairs skating - were among the 67 people killed when American Airlines Flight 5342 collided midair with a military helicopter and crashed into the Potomac River near Washington, DC, on January 29, 2025. More than two dozen victims were members of the figure skating community.

Naumov had flown out earlier, shortly after finishing fourth for the third straight year. The plane carrying Naumov’s parents was also transporting 11 young skaters, two additional coaches, and several family members who had been attending a development camp in Wichita, Kansas, following the 2025 US national championships.

One of Naumov’s final conversations with his parents centered on what it would take for him to reach the Olympics. On Tuesday, he carried that memory with him onto the ice, bringing an old photograph to the kiss-and-cry area showing a young Maxim standing between his parents during his first moments at the rink.

“I’ve been inspired by them since day one,” Naumov said. “I could feel their presence with every step and every glide.”


The 24-year-old delivered one of the strongest short programs of his career, opening with a quad salchow and cleanly landing a triple axel and a triple lutz–triple toe loop combination. Skating to Chopin’s 'Nocturne No. 20', Naumov earned a standing ovation. His score of 85.65 was enough to advance him past the short program, earning him another chance to skate when the men’s free program is held Friday night.

As soon as the music faded, he dropped to his knees, looked upward, and quietly dedicated the moment to his parents.

"I didn't know if I was going to cry, smile or laugh," he said afterward, "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."

"From the time that my name was announced in the warmup to right before the skate," Naumov said as quoted by AP, "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."