The United States Winter Olympics team for next month's Milan-Cortina Games has been officially named, with a poignant and emotional story at its heart. Among the 16 athletes selected is figure skater Maxim Naumov, who has secured his place on the team just over a year after the tragic deaths of his parents, both former Olympians.
A Dream Forged in Family and Tragedy
Naumov's parents, Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova, were world champion pairs skaters in 1994 and later coaches at the Skating Club of Boston. Their lives were cut short in January 2025 when the private plane they were on, returning from the US championships in Wichita, Kansas, collided with a military helicopter over Washington DC. All on board both aircraft, including 26 others connected to the skating world, perished.
Speaking after his selection, Naumov paid a moving tribute to his parents' influence. "I would not be sitting here without the unimaginable work effort and love from my parents," he said. "It means absolutely everything to me, fulfilling the dream that we collectively had as a family since I first was on the ice at five years old. I know they're looking down, smiling and proud."
Team USA's Star-Studded Lineup for Italy
Naumov will compete in the men's singles event alongside the newly crowned world champion Ilia Malinin, who is the heavy favourite for gold after winning his fourth consecutive national title. Malinin aims to continue the USA's success in men's skating, last achieved by Nathan Chen.
The ice dance team features the record-breaking Madison Chock and Evan Bates, who just secured their seventh US title. They will be strong contenders for a medal, having won team gold in Beijing but finishing fourth in the ice dance. Since then, they have dominated the sport with three consecutive world titles.
In the women's event, the spotlight falls on the remarkable comeback of world champion Alysa Liu. Liu, who briefly retired after the 2022 Games due to burnout, returned to win a world title and will lead the American charge for a first women's medal since 2006. She is joined by national champion Amber Glenn and former world silver medallist Isabeau Levito.
Selection Heartbreak and the Full Roster
The selection process was not without its difficult decisions. The top American pairs team, Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov, missed out as Efimova's US citizenship was not approved before the deadline, despite significant lobbying efforts.
The full US Figure Skating team for Milan-Cortina includes:
- Men's Singles: Ilia Malinin, Andrew Torgashev, Maxim Naumov.
- Women's Singles: Alysa Liu, Amber Glenn, Isabeau Levito.
- Ice Dance: Madison Chock / Evan Bates, Emilea Zingas / Vadym Kolesnik, Christina Carreira / Anthony Ponomarenko.
- Pairs: Ellie Kam / Danny O'Shea, Emily Chan / Spencer Howe.
US Figure Skating CEO Matt Farrell acknowledged the weight of the selection, stating, "The importance and magnitude of selecting an Olympic team is one of the most important milestones in an athlete's life... Sometimes these aren't easy, and this is not the fun part."
For Maxim Naumov, the journey to the Olympics is imbued with profound personal loss and triumph. His selection represents the culmination of a shared family ambition, now realised in their memory as he prepares to step onto the Olympic ice in Italy.
