Figure skater whose parents died in D.C. plane crash earns standing ovation at Boston world championships
Maxim Naumov came to a stop in the middle of the ice, looked up at the sky and patted his heart. Then he mouthed a few words, in Russian, to his parents:
"This is for you guys. You guys are with me. I love you both."
Former world pairs champions Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova died in January when
their plane crashed
into a military helicopter on approach to Washington, D.C., and fell into the icy Potomac River. A total of 67 people were killed, including more than two dozen who were returning from a development camp following the U.S. figure skating championships in Wichita, Kansas.
Maxim Naumov, who finished fourth at nationals, already had returned home. Since the crash, he has become in many ways the face of the tragedy — or at least its effect on the skating community.
"I don't think I've walked through a hallway and haven't given a hug since. And I feel that support and love," he said Sunday. "It's been beyond anything that I could have ever even imagined. And it helps so much to get through this day.
"It's overwhelming," he said. "But it makes my heart so full."
Naumov, 23, skated in a benefit in Washington earlier this month that raised more than $1.2 million for the victims' families. Speaking to reporters Sunday after performing at the world championships gala, Naumov said the time that he is on the ice gives his mind a chance to escape the tragedy.
"As soon as I hit the ice, my brain just — I don't know whether it's focus or just calmness or stillness or what, but it feels like I tune everything out," he said. "And I'm just talking with them, and they're helping me.
"I don't hear the crowd. I don't hear the announcers, I don't hear anything. I just have this internal dialogue and I'm just able to almost be calm and just be in my heart," Naumov said. "And they're always there, too. And every time I think of them, especially when I'm on the ice, it really, really helps me get through."
The world championships, which had previously been scheduled at the home of Boston's Celtics and Bruins, brought renewed attention to the plane crash and the
century-old Skating Club of Boston
that has been a home for Olympians and recreational skaters alike.
There was a tribute
on Wednesday, sandwiched between the day's two sessions, and frequent reminders of the tragedy.
Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov, who finished sixth in pairs this weekend, held up pictures of the Boston club members who
died in the crash
: two young skaters, their mothers and the two coaches. Reigning U.S. champion Amber Glenn wore a T-shirt honoring the memory of all the young skaters who were lost.
Ilia Malinin, the "Quad God" who won his second straight world championship on Saturday night, finished the show on Sunday with a performance that he said was dedicated to the plane crash victims. He came to the end, red-eyed and choking back tears.
Naumov's introduction on Sunday identified him as a member of the Boston club and included his three fourth-place finishes at nationals. It didn't mention the crash, but many in the crowd surely knew his connection: He received not only the polite applause that greeted most of the other skaters, but a second wave, with individuals standing to cheer him on.
Wearing unadorned black pants and a sparkly black top, a gold chain flopping around his neck as he glided across the ice, Naumov gave a gala performance aimed more at emotion than proof of athletic prowess.
The choice of music, Mac Miller's posthumous 2020 release "That's on Me," was intentional. Miller died of an accidental drug overdose in 2018.
"Lately, for some reason — well, not for some reason — but lately I've just been listening to Mac Miller's album 'Circles.' Like just over and over and over," Naumov said. "And knowing the unfortunate story about him as an artist, it's been very relatable.
"I relate to it, and I feel really deeply and emotionally what he's talking about in those songs. And it's also been really helpful for me to almost get my emotions out in that way personally."
When his skate was over, Naumov took a deep breath, patted his heart again and waved in each direction. His bows were deep and poignant. Leaving the ice after a one-minute standing ovation, he made the sign of the cross.
"There's a lot of emotions just right now, and it's hard to even put a name to what I'm feeling currently," he said. "I just feel so much support, and it's very overwhelming.
"I have so much gratitude," Naumov said. "And I'm thankful for each and every single one of those fans."
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Boston Globe
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Boston Globe
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What's a swap meet without a pipe dream? Key to Sturm's success, and a point Sweeney did not address on Thursday in The 2024-25 Bruins couldn't score enough and couldn't defend at crucial times. Other than that bit of Tesla spontaneously combusting in the driveway, you know, great ride, was it not? What an intriguing thought to have Sturm aided back there by both Patrice Bergeron and Zdeno Chara . Like Sturm, neither of those future Hall-of-Famers ever has coached at the NHL level, but so what? All three were good pals during Sturm's five years here. All three helped create and curate the culture of discipline and professionalism and competitiveness that defined the team until it began to erode, in chunks, following the summer '23 retirements of Bergeron and Krejci. Best to think, for now, of Bergeron and Chara in coaching roles as two more pipe dreams. 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In my conversation with Chara last week, just days after he was 'We're still determining the specifics of the role right now. I'm some sort of advisor, mentor and … we still have to determine which part of that need is the most important," he said. 'I enjoy the part of leadership and helping guys to be better leaders and better players, and that also depends on the new coach. You need to have that conversation, like, where am I going to be needed the most?' Overall, Big Z added, he wants to help the franchise grow, inspire players, and 'just be part of it.' 'Because, to be honest, my heart is always going to be with the Bruins,' he said. 'I spent the majority of my career with the Bruins and I really care about them. When I came here in '06, and when I left in [ Brad Marchand ] and many other players, I was very proud of what we accomplished. Not just me, but what we as a group accomplished with the help of many other players. 'So I am attached. 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The already compromised lot only grew worse with the injured All that considered, the Bruins won more than they lost (19-15-3, .554) in the 37 games under Sacco's tutelage prior to losing McAvoy. A tour de force? No. But again, Sacco never had the services of Hampus Lindholm, had yet to see Elias Lindholm wake up and smell the Dunkin', and Nikita Zadorov needed months to separate the bountiful tricks from the treats in his game. The only fair review of Sacco's work has to be those 37 games, even then with asterisks attached. He whipped up a whole lot of chicken salad from the detritus he was handed, only to have more detritus heaped on as the season played out. Meanwhile, Sullivan (BU '90) also added David Quinn (BU '87), an ex-Ranger head coach, to his staff. The Ranger GM is Chris Drury (BU '98). The other NYR assistant coach named Thursday was Ty Hennes , who spent the last two seasons on Sullvan's staff in Pittsburgh. Hennes, 45, played four seasons (2000-04) at Boston College, a lesser-known institution located on the rural western portion of Comm Ave. Henceforth, the hue of that trimming on the Blueshirts' sweaters, along with their pants, will be identified as 'Terrier Red.' Loose pucks Cam Neely on Friday celebrated a milestone birthday — his 60th. The Hall-of-Fame winger, then with 51 goals in 201 games with the Canucks, was dealt to the Bruins on his 21st birthday in 1986. That day, Neely wrote via text, 'still is the best birthday gift.' . . . Matt Keator , who became Chara's agent early in the big defenseman's career with the Islanders, was in Stockholm last month for Big Z's induction into the IIHF HOF. Asked about Chara's new love for endurance competition — such as running marathons and IRONMAN competitions — Keator said, 'Of course, you knew he was going to do something to punish himself.' Keator recently added son Ryan Keator to his Win Hockey Agency masthead. Ian Moran , ex- of the Bruins and the Belmont Hill blue line, also is a 'Win' agent. Kevin Paul Dupont can be reached at
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
Boston Celtics jersey history No. 20 - Gary Payton Sr. (2004-05)
Boston Celtics jersey history No. 20 - Gary Payton Sr. (2004-05) The Boston Celtics have had players suiting up in a total of 68 different jersey numbers (and have three others not part of any numerical series) since their founding at the dawn of the Basketball Association of America (BAA -- the league that would become today's NBA), worn by well over 500 players in the course of Celtics history. To commemorate the players who wore those numbers, Celtics Wire is covering the entire history of jersey numbers and the players who sported them since the founding of the team. With 25 of those jerseys now retired to honor some of the greatest Celtics to wear those jerseys, there is a lot of history to cover. And for today's article, we will continue with the 25th of 31 people to wear the No. 20 jersey, Hall of Fame Boston guard alum Gary Payton Sr. After ending his college career at Oregon State, Payton was picked up with the second overall selection of the 1990 NBA draft by the Seattle SuperSonics. The Oakland, California native would also have stints with the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers before he was dealt to Boston in 2004. His stay with the team would span a single a season before he was dealt to the Atlanta Hawks in 2005. During his time suiting up for the Celtics, Payton wore only jersey No. 20 and put up 11.3 points, 3.1 rebounds, 6.1 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. All stats and data courtesy of Basketball Reference.
