(NEXSTAR) - Figure skater Maxim Naumov competed in the men's short program at the Winter Olympics in Milan on Tuesday, officially fulfilling a lifelong goal. The performance marked Namov's debut as an Olympian. The milestone comes just over a year after Naumov's parents died in the 2025 plane crash over the Potomac River. His parents also served as his coaches throughout his skating career. Naumov relied on what he described as physical grit and emotional fortitude to continue training following their deaths. The 2026 Winter Games held specific significance for Naumov. Competing in Milan was a dream he and his father discussed in one of their last conversations before the accident. Naumov said reaching this stage fulfilled a "mission" he had shared with both of his parents since he was a young child. Naumov noted that he felt an unusual sense of composure during his short program on Tuesday. He said he was not as nervous as he typically is before a competition. He attributed this calm to feeling the "presence of his parents," which provided him with comfort while on the ice. Following his performance, Naumov spoke about his motivations for competing. He said he "hopes they're proud" and emphasized that his parents were a constant influence on his journey to the Olympics. He had previously immersed himself in his training as a way to navigate his grief. All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by Nexstar. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by Nexstar staff before being published.