[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 8 (Monday, January 12, 2026)]
[House]
[Pages H649-H650]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            UPLIFTING SPIRIT OF OLYMPIC SKATER MAXIM NAUMOV

  (Ms. KAPTUR asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to uplift the inspiring and 
persevering spirit of our Nation's people, embodied in an extraordinary 
young American, U.S. Olympic figure skater Maxim Naumov.
  Despite having endured unspeakable loss, the tragic American Airlines 
crash over Arlington, Virginia, in January of last year that claimed 
the lives of both his parents, Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova, 
Maxim stepped onto the ice this past weekend with courage, composure, 
and grace under pressure.
  At the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, he delivered a powerful 
short program for 85.72 points, fourth place, and a spot on the U.S. 
Olympic team. He then spoke with humility and love, paying tribute to 
his beloved parents who shaped his life.
  President John F. Kennedy defined true grit as courage, grace under 
pressure, perseverance in the face of adversity. Maxim personifies that 
ideal. He teaches us that determination can rise even from the deepest 
loss and that discipline and artistry can become a language of hope.
  Bravo, Maxim.
  Maxim's dedication as a genuine athletic ice artist inspires every 
young American to a higher purpose. May he stay the course. He makes 
America proud for his generation.
  Onward, Maxim. Onward, America.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to include in the Record the 
article titled: ``Maxim Naumov Credits His Parents, Who Died in DC 
Plane Crash, For making U.S. Olympic Team: `We Did It Together.'''
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Ohio?
  There was no objection.

                            [Jan. 12, 2026]

   Maxim Naumov Credits his Parents, Who Died in DC Plane Crash, for 
              Making US Olympic Team: `We did it Together'

                          (By Drew Weisholtz)

       Maxim Naumov will represent the United States at the Milan 
     Cortina Winter Olympics as a member of the figure skating 
     team and will be guided by his late parents, who died a year 
     ago in a plane crash that rocked the figure skating world.
       Former Olympians Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov were 
     among those on board an American Airlines plane that collided 
     with a Black Hawk helicopter on Jan. 29 last year. Sixty-
     seven people died in the crash, including 28 members of the 
     figure skating community.
       Naumov held up a photo of his parents after competing in 
     the men's free skate at the United States Figure Skating 
     Championships in St. Louis on Jan. 10.
       Naumov, 24, later sat down with Hoda Kotb for an exclusive 
     interview that aired on TODAY Jan. 12. He spoke alongside 
     fellow skaters who were named to Team USA after the 
     championships.
       ``You were holding the picture of your parents who perished 
     in that plane accident,'' Hoda said to Naumov. ``What were 
     you saying to them from inside?''
       ``I was telling them that we did it, and we did it 
     together,'' Naumov said.
       ``One of the favorite words that you say right now is the 
     word `we.' `We are going to do this.' `We can make it.' 
     `We're going to the Olympics.' It's not just you, is it?
       ``No, no, I would not be here without them in any 
     capacity,'' he said.
       Naumov's godmother, Gretta Bogdan, was moved when she saw 
     him receive his Olympic jacket and takes comfort in believing 
     his parents are also beaming.
       ``Probably one of the best moments of my life,'' she told 
     Hoda. ``I know that his parents are watching down on him, and 
     they're incredibly proud of him, and they know what's 
     happening. They do.''
       Naumov has previously spoken about what his parents meant 
     to him and how he dealt with his grief.
       ``They were beautiful people. They were so incredibly 
     kind,'' he told TODAY in March 2025. ``The only way out is 
     through. There's no other way. There are no options but to 
     keep going. I don't have the strength or the passion or the 
     drive, or the dedication of one person anymore. It's three 
     people.''
       The 2026 U.S. figure skating team is a loaded group, 
     headlined by Ilia Malinin, known as ``The Quad God,'' who 
     will be making his Olympics debut. His parents, Tatiana 
     Malinina and Roman Skorniakov, previously skated in the 
     Olympics for Uzbekistan.
       ``It's just such an honor, and I'm so grateful that (I'm) 
     also just following in my parents' footsteps,'' Malinin said. 
     ``They were two-time Olympians as well, and I'm just so 
     excited to go there.''
       Andrew Torgashev is also a son of Olympians and understands 
     the magnitude of his accomplishment.
       ``To call myself an Olympian is just so surreal. It makes 
     me tear up, actually. It's quite awesome,'' he said.
       The women's team will feature three current and former U.S. 
     champions in Alyssa Liu, Isabeau Levito and Amber Glenn. They 
     will each try to become the first American woman to win gold 
     at the Olympics since Sarah Hughes did so in 2002.
       ``I think it's great that it's not just one person or 
     singular hope. I think three people go at it--like, someone's 
     going to stick,'' Glenn said while speaking to Hoda alongside 
     Levito and Liu.
       When Hoda pointed out that the trio represents sisterhood 
     and family, the skaters said it's only natural.
       ``I mean, I feel like it's kind of normal. I feel almost 
     weird to be praised for--'' Liu said.
       ``Friendship?'' Glenn finished.
       ``I think one of the reasons that we all get along so well 
     is because not that many people understand what it takes and 
     understand the ups and downs of such an intense sport like we 
     do,'' she continued. ``And I wouldn't be here without these 
     two ladies.''
       Married couple and ice dance duo Madison Chock and Evan 
     Bates are also on a quest to win gold at the Olympics after 
     doing so in a team event in Beijing in 2022. This will mark 
     their fourth Winter Games, which has some people wondering if 
     they plan to call I quits anytime soon.
       ``You really never know when it's going to be our last, so 
     this season we've been treating everything with respect and 
     care for the moment and trying not to miss any little bit of 
     it,'' Chock said.

[[Page H650]]

       ``We're best friends, and we get to skate together every 
     day, so why would we stop?'' Bates said.
       Ice dance partners Christina Carreira and Anthony 
     Ponomarenko will also compete in their first Olympics, but 
     Ponomarenko is part of a trend: His parents, Marina Klimova 
     and Sergei Ponomarenko, are also Olympians.
       ``Going to the Olympics in the same sport that my parents 
     did, it's unbelievable,'' he said.
       ``It still hasn't sunk in, to be honest,'' Carreira said.
       The U.S. figure skating team will feature 16 athletes who 
     will put their best foot forward when the Winter Olympics 
     begin Feb. 6.

     

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