Mass. figure skater honors late parents in Olympic debut

Maxim Naumov carries memory of former world champions Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov in emotional short program performance.

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

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U.S. figure skater Maxim Naumov delivered an emotional, heartfelt short program at the Milan Cortina Olympics, carrying the memory of his late parents Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, who were among the 67 people killed in a 2025 plane crash. Naumov, who is from Norwood, Massachusetts, brought an old photo of himself as a child skating with his parents to the kiss-and-cry area, saying he felt their presence with him on the ice as he fulfilled their shared Olympic dream.

Why it matters

The tragic passing of Naumov's parents, who were former pairs figure skating world champions, deeply impacted the figure skating community. Naumov's emotional Olympic debut honors their legacy and inspires others who have faced similar losses.

The details

Naumov opened his short program with a quad salchow and followed up with a triple axel and a triple lutz-triple toe loop. As the music ended, he slid to his knees and looked to the sky, telling his parents, "Look at what we've done." Naumov's score of 85.65 was enough to advance him to the men's free skate on Friday.

  • Naumov's parents, Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, were killed in the American Airlines Flight 5342 crash on January 29, 2025.
  • Naumov finished fourth at the 2025 U.S. national championships, shortly before his parents' tragic passing.
  • Naumov qualified for the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics after placing third at the U.S. championships in January 2026.

The players

Maxim Naumov

A 24-year-old figure skater from Norwood, Massachusetts, who is making his Olympic debut at the 2026 Milan Cortina Games.

Evgenia Shishkova

Maxim Naumov's mother, who was a former pairs figure skating world champion.

Vadim Naumov

Maxim Naumov's father, who was a former pairs figure skating world champion.

Gretta Bogdan

Maxim Naumov's godmother, who watched his short program performance from the stands.

The Skating Club of Boston

The skating school founded by Maxim Naumov's parents, which he now oversees.

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What they’re saying

“I've been inspired by them since day 1, ever since we stepped on the ice together.”

— Maxim Naumov, Figure Skater (nbcboston.com)

“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.”

— Maxim Naumov, Figure Skater (nbcboston.com)

“I didn't know if I was going to cry, smile or laugh, 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.”

— Maxim Naumov, Figure Skater (nbcboston.com)

What’s next

Naumov will compete in the men's free skate on Friday night at the Milan Cortina Olympics, looking to build on his emotional short program performance.

The takeaway

Maxim Naumov's heartfelt Olympic debut, honoring the memory of his late parents who were former figure skating champions, is an inspiring story of perseverance and the power of family to motivate athletes even in the face of tragedy.