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Olympics 2026: Meet the Team USA Athletes Going for Gold in the Milan Cortina Winter Games
Maxim Naumov is keeping his late parents close to his heart at the 2026 Olympics.
More than one year after Evgenia “Zhenya” Shishkova and Vadim Naumov died in a January 2025 American Airlines plane crash that killed 65 others, their son honored their memory as he competed during the men’s figure skating short program at the Milano Cortina Winter Games.
Moments after Maxim’s Feb. 10 performance, he held up a childhood photo showing his parents holding his hands as he skated on an ice rink. Later, the 24-year-old made a heartfelt gesture as he received his score of 85.65, looking down at the photo and seemingly saying, “We did it.”
The Team USA athlete also offered a touching tribute during the routine, with a message displayed on the jumbotron above him reading, “Mom and Dad, this is for you.”
Maxim’s parents played a pivotal role in his journey to the Winter Games. After all, the late couple—who themselves were world champion figure skaters and competed in two Olympics for Russia—inspired his passion for the sport.
“Having role models be right there in the house, at the rink, just everywhere, they inspired me to want this dream,” he said in a video posted on the Olympics’ Instagram account in November. “It would mean absolutely everything for me to be at the Olympics. I'm working as hard as I possibly can, and I'm doing everything in my power to do so. Doing it for them would be even more beautiful.”
Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
And following their tragic deaths, his athletic pursuits gave him a sense of purpose as he navigated unfathomable grief.
“I can't describe how difficult it was in the very beginning, and through month after month of really, really trying my hardest to keep a positive mindset and focus on day-to-day,” he told CBS News in January. “Thankfully skating became a tool that actually helped me overcome
all of that.”
Maxim’s bittersweet family tribute is the latest standout moment from the 2026 Olympics. For more highlights from the Winter Games, keep scrolling…
Daniel Kopatsch/VOIGT/GettyImages
Never Give Up
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Ice to See You
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Jennifer Dodds
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In Sync
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On the B-rink of History
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Photo Finish
Bulgarian ski jumper Vladimir Zografski hits the brakes during a Feb. 5 training session.
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Swept Away With Joy
American curler Korey Dropkin lets out a victorious shout after his team defeats Switzerland in a mixed doubles round bobin match on Feb. 5.
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