Naumov fulfills heartbreaking promise in emotional Winter Games debut
American figure skater Maxim Naumov has fulfilled a heartbreaking promise to his late parents by completing an emotional Olympic debut just over a year after they were killed in a plane crash.
A tribute beyond scores
The 24-year-old finished his free skate on Friday night in a moment that transcended sport.
It came just over a year after Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov perished in the American Airlines Flight 5342 disaster near Washington, D.C.
The performance was not technically flawless.
Naumov fell twice on his quad salchows and produced an uneven display throughout the routine.
But the point total was merely a footnote to the occasion.
As the programme concluded, a packed crowd inside the Milano Ice Skating Arena rose for a thunderous standing ovation.
Among those applauding the US skater was actor Jeff Goldblum.
“I hope I made everyone proud,” Naumov said.
“I’m so thankful and grateful for my team that’s been supporting me, from my friends to my family to my coaching staff and everybody.
“Just thank you, everyone.”
Carrying the torch
The Skating Club of Boston athlete has taken on more than just his parents’ competitive legacy.
He now runs ‘Tomorrow’s Champions’, the youth academy founded by the former world pairs champions.
His students were present in Milan, sitting just above the kiss-and-cry area.
They waved a homemade sign with red and blue lettering that read: “Let’s Go Coach Max!”
“Hey, what’s up, guys!?” the Olympian beamed, waving to his pupils.
Skating through grief
The routine was set to ‘In This Shirt’ by The Irrepressibles.
It is a mournful ballad reflecting themes of loss that the skater knows all too well.
“I am lost in a rainbow,” the lyrics rang out. “Now our rainbow is gone.”
Naumov had finished fourth at the national championships in Wichita last January before the tragedy struck.
His parents had stayed behind to participate in a youth development camp.
Their flight was carrying more than two dozen members of the figure skating community when it crashed into the Potomac River.
In the immediate aftermath, simple tasks like getting out of bed seemed insurmountable.
He admitted in an interview with the Associated Press that he felt he “just wanted to rot”.
Fulfilling a shared dream
Looking at photographs remains difficult for the young American.
He brought a picture from a family album to the kiss-and-cry area, though video footage of his parents still reduces him to tears.
Yet, he found a purpose in lacing up his skates once more.
His goal was to honour a dream shared with his mother and father.
They had finished fifth at the 1992 Albertville Games and fourth at Lillehammer in 1994.
Now, their son has followed in their footsteps on the world’s biggest stage.