Maxim Naumov’s Inspiring Journey to the 2026 Olympics as a Figure Skater
Maxim Naumov took up figure skating due to the influence of his parents. Almost precisely one year after the tragic plane crash that claimed their lives, he is set to make his Olympic debut for Team USA.
At 24, Naumov was present with his parents, Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova, during the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas, in January 2025. However, they opted to remain behind after his fourth-place finish in order to participate in a developmental clinic.
Vadim and Evgenia were aboard American Eagle Flight 5342, which tragically collided mid-air with a Black Hawk helicopter over the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., resulting in the loss of 67 lives.
In the immediate wake of the tragedy, Maxim faced uncertainty about whether he would ever skate again, let alone compete on a global stage.
“All I wanted to do in that moment was lie in my bed or on my couch and just wither away,” Maxim shared with The New York Times in January. “Yet, I realized that the exact opposite was the path I needed to take.”
As weeks passed, Maxim found comfort in the company of family friends from his hometown, Simsbury, Connecticut, ensuring he had companionship around the clock.
“I know a couple who are supporting him now,” said Ekaterina “Katia” Gordeeva, a former teammate and close friend of Maxim’s parents, in a February 2025 interview with People. “They hadn’t even arrived in Washington yet, but … that morning of the plane crash, we all connected instantly; everyone from Simsbury.”
Though it took time for him to skate again, he quickly took on the role of leading his parents’ development program for children in Boston. Observing them reminded him of the passion he felt for the sport since he first set foot on the ice at age five.
PIERRE VERDY/AFP via Getty Images. The Russian figure skating duo Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov were partners both on and off the ice. Their romance blossomed shortly after they began competing as pairs skating partners in 1985. The two-time Olympians went on to achieve numerous titles together before retiring in 1998. […]
In a fitting turn of events, he qualified for the Olympics by returning to the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in January 2026, held in St. Louis, where he placed third, securing his spot on the team.
During the press conference following the event, Maxim held up a photo of his parents for the cameras.
“We did it,” he proclaimed. “We did it together.”
Maxim reflected on his parents as “immediately” present when he learned of his qualification.
“I wish they could be here to share in this experience, but I feel their presence with me,” he said.
“I entered this competition feeling immense gratitude for the opportunity to compete and the fact that I have overcome so much. Looking back, considering that there was a time when I could barely lace up my skates and wondered if I would ever compete again, what I achieved [Saturday] feels beyond words, truly.”
The figure skating community is grappling with a tremendous loss following American Airlines flight 5342’s crash, which had multiple members onboard. During a press conference on Thursday, January 30, Doug Zeghibe, CEO of The Skating Club of Boston, stated, “to the best of our knowledge, 14 skaters were returning home” from the U.S. Figure Skating National […]
Two weeks later, on the one-year anniversary of his parents’ passing, Maxim honored them with an Instagram tribute.
“It’s hard to fathom that a year has elapsed. The most challenging year of my life,” he wrote alongside a photo of them. “I still find myself waking up some days and questioning why? How could all this have transpired? For what purpose? Why were they taken from me so early?”
He added, “Unfortunately, there are always more questions than answers. Yet, despite it all, I prepare myself, don my coat, and step out the door. Every. Single. Day. Because I have a mission. I am reminded instantly of the goal we set when I was five years old. Together. As a family.”
