ST. LOUIS — Maxim Naumov glides across the ice alone, but during his chase for the 2026 Olympics, the 24-year-old figure skater rarely referred to his journey as a solo endeavor.
Wearing a new white U.S. figure skating jacket on stage at Enterprise Center, Naumov celebrated those that helped him reach his goals, even those who could not be present for the moment. He knew his parents Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova were still watching.
“We did it,” he said as a wide smile split his face. “We absolutely did it.”
Less than a year after his parents were two of the 67 people killed in a plane crash in Washington, Naumov completed a dream he and his family hatched together two decades ago by being named to the U.S. Olympic team on Sunday.
Naumov’s emotional selection highlighted what could be the country’s strongest roster in decades. Between the 16 athletes representing the team in Milan, there are three reigning world champions. With the Olympic team event that debuted in 2014, the United States has a chance to win the most Olympic medals for the country since four in 1960. The five medals in 1956 are the U.S. figure skating record for a single Olympic Games.
After the men swept the podium in 1956, the women have a chance to fill the podium as well.
Alysa Liu, Amber Glenn and Isabeau Levito all finished in the top five of the 2025 world championships. Liu is the first U.S. women’s world champion since 2006, and Levito took silver at the 2024 world championships. Glenn, who will make her Olympic debut at 26 years old, is a three-time U.S. champion and the 2024-25 Grand Prix Final champion.
Ilia Malinin is the overwhelming favorite to win gold in Milan. The 21-year-old who won his fourth consecutive U.S. championship on Saturday is undefeated since November 2023.
Malinin could be the second consecutive U.S. man to win single’s skating gold, following Nathan Chen’s dominance in Beijing. It would be the first time since Scott Hamilton and Brian Boitano in 1984 and 1988, respectively, that the United States won back-to-back men’s gold medals in singles skating.
The final two selections for the men’s team came with some drama after a shaky free skate competition on Saturday. Andrew Torgashev, who jumped from fourth after the short program to claim his second consecutive U.S. silver medal, was the first person announced during Sunday’s gala event. After finishing his show program, he was surprised at the boards by his mother. She held out a white U.S. figure skating jacket.
One by one, skaters were greeted by their loved ones after they completed their exhibtion programs. Naumov slipped on the jacket and clutched both hands to his heart. He wrapped himself in a hug then pointed to the “USA” on his back.
Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea took silver at the U.S. championships and will make their Olympic debut. National pairs champions Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov were ineligible for the Olympic team because the Finland-born Efimova doesn’t have U.S. citizenship yet after marrying her skating partner in 2024. Emily Chan and Spencer Howe, who rallied from eighth after the short program to finish in fourth place, earned the second pairs nomination.
Three-time world champion ice dancers Madison Chock and Evan Bates will return to the Olympics for the fourth time as a pair hoping for their first individual medal. Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik and Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko completed the ice dance team that will try to continue the United States’ streak of five consecutive Olympic Games with a medal.
U.S. figure skating Olympic team
Men’s singles: Ilia Malinin, Andrew Torgashev, Maxim Naumov
Women’s singles: Amber Glenn, Alysa Liu, Isabeau Levito
Pairs: Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea, Emily Chan and Specer Howe
Ice dance: Madison Chock and Evan Bates, Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik, Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko
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