Maxim Naumov Honors Late Parents With Family Photo at Olympics

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Maxim Naumov is keeping his late parents close to his heart at the 2026 Olympics.

Over a year after Evgenia “Zhenya” Shishkova and Vadim Naumov died in an American Airlines plane crash in January 2025 – a crash that killed 65 people – their son paid tribute to them by competing in the men’s figure skating short program at the Milano Cortina Winter Games.

Right after Maxim finished skating on February 10th, he showed a childhood photo of his parents holding his hands while he was learning to skate. When he received his score of 85.65, he looked at the photo with emotion, appearing to share a quiet moment of triumph with his parents, as if to say, “We achieved this together.”

During his performance, the American athlete also paid a heartfelt tribute to his parents. A message appeared on the large screen above him saying, “Mom and Dad, this is for you.”

Maxim’s parents were hugely influential in his path to the Winter Games. They were both world-class figure skaters and Olympians for Russia, and their own achievements sparked his love for the sport.

Growing up, I was so lucky to have incredible role models all around me – at home, at the rink, everywhere! They really sparked my dream, and it’s always been everything to me to reach the Olympics. I’m pushing myself harder than ever, doing absolutely everything I can to get there. But honestly, achieving that dream for them would make it even more special and meaningful.

After their heartbreaking loss, he found meaning and direction in sports, helping him cope with immense sadness.

He told CBS News in January that the start was incredibly challenging, and for months he worked hard to stay positive and concentrate on getting through each day. Fortunately, skating ended up being a way for him to deal with everything he was going through.

A touching family tribute from Maxim is being hailed as a memorable moment from the 2026 Olympics. Find more exciting highlights from the Winter Games below…

Lindsey Vonn, an American skier, appeared focused during a training session on February 6th, just days after suffering a torn ACL in a crash.

On February 6th, Alysa Liu, representing the United States, performed a Biellmann spin during her short program in the women’s singles skating event.

Jennifer Dodds of Team Great Britain looked intensely focused during the mixed doubles curling match against South Korea on February 6th.

Oh my gosh, you will NOT believe this! Snoop Dogg – Snoop Dogg! – is at the Olympics, working for NBC! And get this – I just saw pictures of him actually trying to curl! It was at practice on February 6th, and honestly, it’s the most amazing thing ever. I’m losing it!

On February 6th, figure skating partners Evan Bates and Madison Chock, who are also a couple in real life, delivered a flawless performance during their rhythm ice dance routine.

On February 5th, Laila Edwards, the first Black woman to play hockey for the U.S. in the Olympics, competed against Sara Cajanova of the Czech Republic during the game between the United States and the Czech Republic.

On February 5th, Australian snowboarder Valentino Guseli and Czech competitor Jakub Hrones shared a hug after competing in the men’s snowboard big air qualifying round.

Bulgarian ski jumper Vladimir Zografski hits the brakes during a Feb. 5 training session.

Korey Dropkin, an American curler, celebrated with a shout after his team won against Switzerland in a mixed doubles curling match on February 5th.

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2026-02-10 23:17