Winter Olympics 2026: Max Naumov and the legacy of Flight 5342
Jay Busbee Senior writer Tue, 10 February 2026 at 10:08 am UTC·9 min read MILAN — Four weeks ago, Maxim Naumov sat on the rinkside couch in St. Louis, shoulders heaving as he gave into the weight of grief. He’d just finished one of the two routines that would soon send him to the 2026 Olympics in Milan. In his hand, he held a family picture of himself as a child, holding the hands of his parents. It was a poignant scene, because Max was the only one in that photo here to appreciate the moment. Naumov’s parents, Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova, died a year ago in a plane crash, two of so many lost in an accident that devastated an entire sport. Max rededicated himself to his craft in...