Four US Olympic Figure Skaters Trace Roots to Soviet Skating Superstars

The children of elite Soviet-era skaters are making their mark on the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics.

Published on Feb. 7, 2026

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Four of the American figure skaters competing at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics have parents who were elite skaters for the former Soviet Union. This includes ice dancer Anthony Ponomarenko, whose parents Marina Klimova and Sergei Ponomarenko won three world championships and Olympic medals of each color. Other skaters with Soviet-born parents include Ilia Malinin, Andrew Torgashev, and Maxim Naumov, whose parents were killed in a tragic plane crash last year.

Why it matters

The success of these second-generation Olympic figure skaters highlights the lasting impact of the Soviet Union's renowned skating program, which produced many world-class athletes. Their stories also illustrate the sacrifices and challenges faced by immigrant families pursuing athletic dreams in a new country.

The details

The four American figure skaters with Soviet-born parents are ice dancer Anthony Ponomarenko, singles skater Ilia Malinin, Andrew Torgashev, and Maxim Naumov. Ponomarenko's parents Marina Klimova and Sergei Ponomarenko were three-time world champions and Olympic medalists. Malinin's parents Tatiana Malinina and Roman Skorniakov were also elite Soviet-era singles skaters. Naumov's parents Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov were pairs skaters who competed in the 1992 and 1994 Olympics before tragically dying in a plane crash last year. Torgashev's parents Ilona Melnichenko and Artem Torgashev were accomplished junior-level skaters but never made it to the Olympics.

  • The 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics are taking place in February 2026.
  • The U.S. Figure Skating Championships, where some of these skaters qualified for the Olympics, were held in January 2026 in St. Louis.

The players

Anthony Ponomarenko

An American ice dancer competing at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics, whose parents Marina Klimova and Sergei Ponomarenko were elite Soviet-era skaters.

Ilia Malinin

An American singles skater competing at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics, whose parents Tatiana Malinina and Roman Skorniakov were elite Soviet-era singles skaters.

Andrew Torgashev

An American figure skater competing at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics, whose parents Ilona Melnichenko and Artem Torgashev were accomplished junior-level Soviet-era skaters.

Maxim Naumov

An American figure skater competing at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics, whose parents Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov were pairs skaters who competed in the 1992 and 1994 Olympics before tragically dying in a plane crash last year.

Marina Klimova

A former Soviet-era figure skater who, with her husband Sergei Ponomarenko, won three world championships and Olympic medals of each color over three consecutive Winter Games.

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What they’re saying

“My mom gets really stressed. I called my dad after nationals. I was like, 'Hey, how are you guys? How are you doing?' And my dad was like, 'I didn't get to watch you. Your mom fainted when she was watching.'”

— Anthony Ponomarenko, Figure Skater (San Francisco Chronicle)

“The real reason is that I get nervous when she comes. Not because of her, but because I get more nervous for her getting nervous for me than the skating itself. But she gives me a lot of advice, even if she doesn't come to competitions.”

— Ilia Malinin, Figure Skater (Washington Post)

“My dad was always there when it was difficult. Good skate or bad skate, he was there, giving me a hug, telling me how proud he was of me. It's always been like that, and I know that's exactly what he would be saying right now.”

— Maxim Naumov, Figure Skater (Boston Globe)

What’s next

The 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics figure skating competition will take place from February 6-22, 2026, with the team event kicking off the figure skating program on February 6.

The takeaway

The success of these second-generation American figure skaters with Soviet-born parents highlights the lasting impact of the USSR's renowned skating program and the sacrifices immigrant families make to pursue athletic dreams. Their stories inspire the next generation of skaters to carry on their parents' legacies.