> At a Glance
> – Maxim Naumov returned to the U.S. Championships where his parents watched him last, months after they died in a 67-fatality Potomac River crash
> – The 24-year-old briefly led after landing a quad salchow and triple-triple combo, keeping Olympic hopes alive
> – Why it matters: His comeback shows how athletes process public grief and chase shared dreams
Six months after former world-champion pair Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova died in a mid-air collision over the Potomac, their son stepped onto the same rink they last saw him compete on. A standing ovation swept Maxim Naumov off the ice and straight into tears in the kiss-and-cry.
One Last Conversation
The crash killed more than two dozen young skaters returning from a Wichita development camp, many coached by the elder Naumovs. On the ice Thursday, Maxim carried a faded photo: a 3-year-old him in white skates between his parents at the International Skating Center of Connecticut.
> “It’s all about being resilient,” Naumov said. “What if, despite everything that happened to me, I can go out and do it?“
One of his final talks with them centered on making the U.S. Olympic team for next month’s Games in Italy. His opening quad salchow and closing triple-triple briefly vaulted him into first place heading to Saturday’s free skate.
Keeping Their Legacy Moving
Naumov, who flew home early from last year’s nationals while his parents stayed for the camp, has since:
- Performed at a Washington benefit that raised $1.2 million for crash victims’ families
- Led the Skating Club of Boston’s youth academy his parents founded
- Become, in his words, “the face of the tragedy“
> “My dad would have told me to keep fighting for that salchow,” he said. Asked what his mom would say, he smiled: “She’d already be thinking about the free skate.“
The U.S. government admitted fault for the January mid-air collision, according to a court filing.
Honoring the Lost
Other tributes unfolded at this year’s nationals:
- 16-year-old Sophie Joline Von Felten skated with photos of fellow victims Spencer & Christine Lane and Jinna & Jin Hee Han
- She told News Of Fort Worth she aimed to “feel their souls with me“
Key Takeaways
- Naumov’s performance keeps his Olympic dream-and his parents’ final wish-alive
- The 24-year-old channels grief into leadership of his family’s skating academy
- Nationals attendees continue public remembrances for the 67 lives lost
With every jump, spin, and program, Naumov refers to “we,” as though Vadim and Evgenia still skate beside him.
