Maxim Naumov's first Olympic skate came with an unusual sense of calm for an athlete who admits he's usually "a little jittery." The 24-year-old American figure skater delivered one of his strongest short programs to date at the 2026 Winter Games on Tuesday, scoring 85.65 and securing a spot in Friday's free skate. Naumov told reporters he felt an unfamiliar steadiness on the ice, which he described as his late parents—former skaters Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, who were also his longtime coaches—guiding him a year after they were killed in a plane crash near Washington, DC, per People.
The younger Naumov said it felt "almost like a hand on my back pushing me forward," as if his parents were moving him "from one element to another" and "keeping me grounded." Naumov, who took home a bronze at the 2026 US Figure Skating Championships, added that the support he's received over the past year from fans has played a major role in getting him back on his game.
Asked how his parents might have reacted to his Olympics debut, Naumov said his mother would've been too nervous to watch in person, following live scores instead, while his father would've been by his side, giving him a hug and expressing how he proud was. Still, Naumov said his dad would also remind him that "the job's not finished" as he turns his focus to the free skate and waits to see how the rest of the field—including US teammates Andrew Torgashev and Ilia Malinin—stacks up.
Naumov also spoke more generally about continuing to skate after such a tragic loss. "The only way out is through, and everyone has the ability to do that, to remain strong in your mind, to have willpower, and do things out of love instead of fear," he said, per the Athletic. "If you're able to do that ... you can have small wins every single day. And you can do things that you never thought that you could." NBC has more from Naumov on his relationship with his parents.
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