Out of tragedy, a resolve to remain strong

After losing parents in plane crash over DC., Naumov taking their legacy into Olympics.

- BY THỤC NHI NGUYEN

STEPHANIE SCARBROUGH Associated Press MAXIM Naumov holds a photo of his parents as he waits for his scores after competing in the men's short program at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships.

ST. LOUIS - Vadim Naumov told his son to be resilient. To be strong. When he last spoke to his father, Maxim Naumov had no idea just how much he would need to words.

Less than a year after his parents died along with 65 others in the plane crash over the Potomac in the nation's capital, Maxim Naumov claimed his first medal at the U.S. figure skating championships Saturday, taking bronze to put himself into the conversation for the Cortina Milan team.

Olympic The 24-year-old, who finished behind four-time U.S. champion Ilia Malinin and two-time silver medalist Andrew Torgashev, finally snapped a run of three consecutive fourth-place finishes at the national championships. Malinin, the favorite to win Olympic gold next month, ran away with the national title by a margin wider than 57 points and had no doubt about his status before Sunday's Olympic team announcement.

Naumov and Torgashev were on the bubble for one of the three available positions. But considering what Naumov fought through to reach this point, he didn't sweat a simple announcement.

"I came into this competition thinking how grateful I am to even have the ability to compete," Naumov said.