Maxim Naumov Skates Emotional Olympic Short Program
Naumov scored 85.65 in his short program at the Milano Cortina Olympics, a year after his parents died Jan. 29, 2025.
Overview
U.S. figure skater Maxim Naumov delivered an emotional short program at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics, scoring 85.65 and advancing to the men's free skate, according to official results.
The performance came after his parents, former pairs world champions Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, died Jan. 29, 2025, in a midair collision that killed 67 people, records show.
Naumov, 24, said he felt his parents' presence, held up a childhood photo in the kiss-and-cry and told them "Look at what we've done," he said afterward.
The flight also carried 28 athletes, coaches or relatives linked to U.S. figure skating and cost the Skating Club of Boston six members, club officials confirmed.
Naumov will skate in the men's free program on Friday night, giving him another chance to improve placement at the Games, team officials said.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the story as a heroic, emotional comeback by emphasizing personal tragedy and triumph. They use evocative language ('impossible to imagine', 'superheroes'), foreground the athlete’s quotes about his parents, spotlight tearful gestures and symbolic props (photo), and structure the piece to build toward catharsis, prioritizing pathos over technical analysis.
Sources (3)
FAQ
Maxim Naumov's parents, Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, were 1994 World Champions in pairs figure skating for Russia and competed in the 1992 and 1994 Winter Olympics without medaling.[1][2]
Maxim Naumov's parents died on January 29, 2025, when American Airlines Flight 5342 collided midair with a U.S. Army helicopter near Ronald Reagan National Airport over the Potomac River, killing all 67 people on board.[1][2]
Naumov skated an emotional short program scoring 85.65, held up a childhood photo of himself with his parents in the kiss-and-cry area, and said he felt their presence guiding him.[1][3]
After the crash, Naumov felt immense grief and wanted to 'rot' in bed, but found purpose in skating to fulfill their shared Olympic dream, channeling the strength of three people.
The 24-year-old U.S. figure skater from Norwood, Massachusetts, debuted at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics, placed 12th in the short program with 85.65 to advance to the free skate, and earned his spot by finishing third at the U.S. Championships.[1]
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History
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