INSPIRED TO FOLLOW IN HIS PARENTS FOOTSTEPS

When Maxim Naumov arrived on the inter-national junior stage in 2017, his name turned heads right away. Wait a moment, many asked, wasn’t there a Russian pairs skater with that name?

There was indeed, and both members of that pairs team — Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov — just happen to be his parents.

Shishkova and Naumov captured a complete set of medals at a trio of World Championships (bronze in 1993, gold in 1994 and silver in 1995), and claimed steps on the podiums at five European Championships (1991-1995). At their two Olympic appearances the team finished fifth in 1992 and fourth in 1994.

Shishkova and Naumov married in 1995 and retired from competition in 1998. The couple moved to the U.S. to start coaching careers in Hartford, Connecticut, where Maxim, their only child, was born three years later.

When your parents were successful competitive skaters who now coach, the chances are high that donning a pair of skates will be one of the first things you