US figure skater Maxim Naumov has delivered one of the most emotional performances at this year's Winter Olympics in Milan, honoring his late parents during his final individual skate.
Before he stepped onto the ice, Naumov was seen displaying a heartfelt message for them on the arena's Jumbotron. He dedicated the competition to their memory.
Throughout his free skate, he seemed to be struggling with several elements and fall-backs, yet he continued to skate with visible determination and finished it all off with a huge smile.
After that, he embraced the significance of the moment rather than just the technical score.
At the end of his routine, he held a picture of his parents close to his heart and kissed it. This was said to be a touching tribute to all those people who inspired and coached him.
Naumov's parents were both former world-class figure skaters and ended up guiding his training since childhood. They tragically passed away in a plane crash in the year before that. It was called out as an event that profoundly impacted his life as well as his career.