US figure skater whose parents were killed in plane crash heads to Olympics

U.S. figure skater Maxim Naumov, whose parents died in a commercial plane crash in Washington, D.C., last year, has led the U.S. figure skating team to the Milan Olympics next month.

Naumov’s dream of making the U.S. Olympic Team was one of the last things he discussed with his family before he was killed.

“We did it,” Naumov said when asked what his parents would say if they were watching.

Their parents, Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova, were among the 67 people killed in January 2025 when an American Airlines plane collided with a military helicopter mid-air in Washington, D.C. In 1994, they became world champions in pairs figure skating and skated for Russia.

They later moved to the USA and coached at the Boston Skating Club.

On Saturday, Naumov, 24, finished third at the US figure skating championships in St Louis, behind Ilia Malinin and runner-up Andrew Torgashev.

She will now be one of 16 figure skaters representing the United States at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

While competing this week, Naumov held up a childhood photo of himself with his parents.

“I thought of them right away,” Naumov said Sunday, according to U.S. Figure Skating. “I wish they could be here with me to have this experience, but I feel their presence and they are with me.”

Last January, their parents were among those killed when an American Airlines plane from Kansas carrying 64 people collided with a military helicopter carrying three personnel. There were no survivors.

Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova were on their way back from Wichita, Kansas, which is hosting the 2025 US championships.

28 of those on the flight were athletes, coaches or parents with ties to U.S. figure skating.

The Olympic figure skating competition will begin on February 6.