Maxim Naumov Makes U.S. Olympic Team 1 Year After His Parents Tragically Died in D.C. Plane Crash
His parents were 1994 World Figure Skating pairs champions Evgenia “Zhenya” Shishkova and Vadim Naumov
Figure skater Maxim Naumov has made the 2026 U.S. Olympic team one year after his parents died in the American Airlines plane crash
Naumov’s parents were 1994 World Figure Skating pairs champions Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, and also served as his coaches
The 24-year-old was named to the men’s team, along with Ilia Malinin and Andrew Torgashev
Maxim Naumov has officially been named to the 2026 U.S. Olympic team, one year after the American Airlines tragedy claimed the lives of his parents and 65 others.
A Dream Realized
The 24-year-old figure skater, whose parents were 1994 World Figure Skating pairs champions Evgenia “Zhenya” Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, was announced as one of the three men competing for Team USA at the upcoming Milan Olympic Games.
In addition to Naumov, Ilia Malinin and Andrew Torgashev also secured spots on the men’s team.
At the team announcement event in St. Louis on Sunday, January 11th, Naumov shared his excitement about heading to his first Olympics. “We did it! God is good. 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’m 5 years old. … So I can’t say into words how much this means to me.”
He also reflected on what his parents would think of his accomplishment. “I really hope that my mom watched because she never used to watch me skate. But they say we’re proud of you, but job’s not finished, we’re just getting started,” he said.
An Emotional Performance
Three days before he was named to the team, Naumov skated his short program and broke down in tears as he received his score, while holding up a photo of himself as a 3-year-old boy standing alongside his parents.
“Sharing the vulnerability with the audience and me feeling their energy back has been something I remember for the rest of my life,” he told reporters.
The Tragedy
Naumov lost his parents, who also served as his coaches, on January 29th when American Airlines flight 5342 collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter in Washington, D.C. Of the 67 lives that were lost, 28 were members of the figure skating community.
Multiple skaters, along with Naumov’s parents, had been heading back to D.C. after attending the U.S. Figure Skating National Development Camp in Wichita, Kansas. Naumov had also been in Wichita and finished fourth in the senior men’s competition at the U.S. National Championships on January 26th, just days before his parents’ death.
Support During Dark Times
After the crash, Ekaterina “Katia” Gordeeva, a Russian teammate of Zhenya and Vadim Naumov at the 1994 Olympics and friend of the couple, told PEOPLE a family friend was by Maxim’s side “24 hours” of the day. Katia said the family friend supporting him “is like a godmother to him, and she is with him right now there and her husband.”
Zhenya and Vadim competed alongside Katia and her late husband Sergei Grinkov at the 1994 Olympics, where they finished in fourth place. They wed in 1995 and retired in 1998 to skate professionally while moving to Simsbury, where they would eventually welcome their son.
Nearly Giving Up
For a time after their deaths, Naumov questioned if he would bother trying to make the Olympic team at all. But he came back around, largely because of what it meant to his parents.
“It’s the ultimate goal,” Naumov said Thursday, according to the Associated Press. “It’s what my parents and I—one of our last conversations was about exactly that, and you know, it would mean the world to me to do that. So that’s what we’re fighting for.”
A Legacy Honored
Naumov’s qualification for the Olympics represents more than just athletic achievement—it’s the fulfillment of a family dream that began when he was just 5 years old. His parents, both Olympic athletes themselves, dedicated their post-competitive careers to coaching their son and nurturing his talent.
The fact that one of Maxim’s final conversations with his parents centered on the Olympics makes his achievement bittersweet. What should be a moment of pure celebration is tinged with profound loss, as the two people who wanted this most for him aren’t here to witness it.
The Figure Skating Community’s Loss
The January 29th crash devastated the figure skating world, claiming 28 members of the community. The tragedy occurred just days after the U.S. National Championships, as coaches and skaters were returning home from the development camp—a gathering meant to nurture the sport’s future stars.
Naumov’s parents were among the most respected coaches in the sport, having transitioned from their own successful competitive careers to developing the next generation of skaters, including their own son.
Moving Forward
Naumov’s emotional short program, performed while holding that cherished childhood photo, revealed the depth of his grief and the strength required to continue pursuing his parents’ shared dream. His tears upon receiving his score reflected not just the pressure of competition, but the weight of skating for three people instead of one.
His comment that his mother “never used to watch” him skate adds a poignant layer to his hope that she somehow witnessed this achievement. Many athletes have superstitious parents who can’t bear to watch their children compete—a detail that makes her absence even more profound.
The Road to Milan
As Naumov prepares for the Milan Olympics, he carries with him not just his own ambitions but his parents’ legacy. Every performance will be a tribute to Zhenya and Vadim, who gave him the skills, discipline, and dreams that brought him to this moment.
The godmother-figure and her husband who supported Maxim through his darkest days will likely continue to be crucial sources of strength as he navigates the pressure and emotion of Olympic competition.
A Testament to Resilience
Naumov’s journey from devastating loss to Olympic qualification in just one year demonstrates extraordinary resilience. The fact that he seriously considered abandoning his Olympic dreams entirely makes his ultimate decision to compete even more meaningful.
“Job’s not finished, we’re just getting started,” he said, echoing what he imagines his parents would tell him. This mindset—that making the team is just the beginning—suggests that Naumov isn’t just showing up in Milan to participate. He’s there to compete, to honor his parents’ memory, and to prove that their life’s work coaching him was not in vain.
@nbcolympics Maxim Naumov experienced the immeasurable loss of both parents in a plane crash that devastated the US Skating Community. One year later, he takes the lead at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships with a favorite photograph in-hand.
As he steps onto Olympic ice in Milan, Maxim Naumov will skate not just for himself, but for Zhenya and Vadim Naumov, whose legacy lives on through their son’s grace, determination, and unwavering commitment to the sport they all loved.