Overview
- Naumov held a childhood photo and received a standing ovation after scoring 85.72 in the short program, which briefly led the event before he finished the night in fourth.
- He returns for Saturday’s free skate in St. Louis, with the three-man U.S. Olympic team set to be announced Sunday and only one spot widely viewed as assured for Ilia Malinin.
- His parents, former world champions Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova, were among 67 killed in the Jan. 29, 2025 midair collision over the Potomac River.
- He has emerged as a community leader, taking on the Skating Club of Boston’s youth academy and performing at a Washington benefit that raised more than $1.2 million for victims’ families.
- Tributes to crash victims have been visible throughout nationals, including a young skater bringing photos of lost friends and family to the kiss-and-cry area.