Maxim Naumov’s selection to the 2026 U.S. Olympic figure skating team is one of this winter’s feel-good sports stories. But he didn’t earn it through sympathy after losing both his parents; he secured his spot by finishing third at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. However, many fans are disappointed that the media has focused only on his personal tragedy, overshadowing his hard work.

One user posted on X: “Max Naumov deserves the Olympic spot because he has been on an upward trajectory all season and skated brilliantly right when it mattered, not because of the trauma he has been through.”

Naumov has shown incredible resilience and tenacity this season after returning to competition following the loss of his parents. What made it even harder was the fact that his parents were Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova, world‑famous pair skaters who coached him since childhood.

Together, they had the same dream of watching him compete at the Winter Olympics. They passed away in the D.C. plane crash near the Potomac River last January, making every achievement he earns part of a deeply personal journey.

At the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in St. Louis, Maxim Naumov skated the two solid programs. In the short program, he opened with a quad Salchow and executed clean triple jumps and combinations. Despite a minor slip, his performance was full of energy.

In the free skate, the longer and more demanding portion, Naumov landed another quad Salchow and a triple Axel-double Axel combination, along with other technically challenging elements. His combined score of 249.16 points earned him third place overall, securing his Olympic berth.

While his personal loss is undeniably part of his story, fans argue that the focus should remain on his performance and skill.

Fans slam media for overemphasizing Maxim Naumov’s personal tragedy

Fans were quick to point out that Maxim Naumov earned his Olympic spot through skill, not sympathy. One fan wrote: “100% !! Especially impressive, given how much media buzz and attention has been around him and how much he wanted to achieve his dreams with his parents in his mind and heart. that’s a lot of pressure and be handled it amazingly.”

Another added, “He is a clean quad jumper has excellent skating skills and artistry and qualified fair and square.”

Their praise is backed by Maxim Naumov’s record. He is a three‑time U.S. National Pewter Medalist and the 2020 U.S. Junior National Champion. After losing his parents, he initially questioned whether he could continue competing.

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But by early March 2025, he returned to the ice for the first time at the “Legacy on Ice” tribute event in Washington, D.C. Skating from the heart, he let his emotions guide him rather than focusing solely on technical elements.

That performance helped him reconnect with the sport and set the stage for a full comeback. He continued training and competing through 2025, steadily regaining his competitive form.

One more observer added, “Max doesn’t seem reluctant to talk about his parents. I hate how NBC contrives of one storyline for each skater, but it’s not true that everyone wants to avoid talking about their deceased loved ones. And, everyone in the NBC skating family has known his parents for decades.”

This observation is backed by what actually happened when Naumov was officially named to the U.S. Olympic team. NBC presented him with a Team USA jacket and played a video from his childhood, in which he described his lifelong dream of going to the Olympics.

Overwhelmed with emotion, he hid his face in his hands and cried as an NBC host said, “Well, that dream has come true. You’re headed to the Olympics!”

NBC also asked him what his parents, Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova, might say if they were there. Naumov replied, “They’d say, ‘We’re proud of you, but job’s not finished. We’re just getting started.’” While his words were heartfelt, some fans felt the media coverage overemphasized the tragedy.

Another fan wrote, “I don’t like the way NBC Sports and the Team USA accounts are trying to profit off Maxim’s parents’ death. It was mentioned way too many times for it to be respectful commentary. Maxim isn’t just the guy who lost his parents on that flight. He’s a good athlete and needs to be treated as such.” Another fan added, “He wouldnt have been called if he ended fourth or fifth. He was bronze. He deserved to go, with or without tragedy.”

With only three men’s singles quota spots available for Team USA, placing fourth or lower would almost certainly have excluded him from selection. The final results show why his Olympic berth was fully deserved.

Ilia Malinin won the national title and claimed the first spot, Andrew Torgashev finished second to earn the second, and Maxim Naumov scored 249.16 points, taking the bronze and the third Olympic spot. His achievement was based on performance and competitive results, not sympathy or circumstance.