The skates killed in a plane crash were Olympic hopes, peers say, ‘Absolutely extraordinary’
Emotions flow high on Boston skating club Thursday after six people with relationships with organization were killed in a plane crash near Reagan International Airport on Wednesday night.
Among those who spoke was Olympic silver medal by Nancy Kerrigan, who could not restrain her tears as she spoke of a collision.
President Donald Trump said there are no survivors after the American Airlines jet collided with US Army Black Hawk helicopter.
The plane wore 64 people, including teen skates Jinna Han and Spencer Lane, their mother Jin Han and Christine Lane and their coaches Evgenia Shishkov and Vadim Naumov.
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Spencer Lane was a slider at the Boston Club. (Imagine)
Three members of the Skating Club – Miša Mitofanov, Jimmy Ma and Alisa Efimov – also talked about their peers, who they say were the next generation We hope to be our Olympians.
“The potential they have shown on the ice and the possibilities they had at such a young age showed that they promised for the future of the sport,” said Mitofanov, whose partner of Efimov, reporters on Thursday.
Mitofanov and Ephim had just won the 2025 skating championship at Wichiti in Kansas in the discipline of couples. From there, a flight of American Airlines came. Han and Lane returned from the development camp over the weekend.
“The camp basically brings them to the championship so that they can watch, for example, Jimmy or at least ice skating at the championship level,” Mitofanov said. “After that, they are part of a rather strict routine. A lot of training, a lot of exercises and exercises that skating in the US wants to see.”
Han, 13 and Lane, 16, were chosen for the development camp for the promises they showed, and it was a dull as much as they promised these two skaters.
“Absolutely phenomenal,” Ma said. “If I was a year, when I was their year, they would blow me out of the water. Even Jinna, at the age of 13, couldn’t do anything. She was already 10 times better than me at such a young age.
Jimmy Ma skated during 2025. (William Purnell.imagn Pictures)
“They showed skating at the championship level. It would take time to develop to maximize their full potential. But the amount they managed to achieve in such a short time was absolutely extraordinary.”
Efimova said the campers were noticed in a crowd in the red jackets she would wear, and while working with Mitofanov to win pairs, she used their cheering as a motivation.
“Everyone has these red jackets, so you can really, really recognize this community during the competition, which personally helps me a lot to bring a lot of joy into skating,” Efimova said.
Ma also pointed out that they were great Shishkov and Naumov, winners at the 1994 World Cup in pairs while competing in two Olympics, as coaches.
“Their attentiveness in the development of young skaters is almost incomparable,” Ma explained. “You could say in their son Max, whom I consider not only a friend but also a fierce competitor. I watch him every day, as: ‘A curse, I have to do better. “These were all of them.”
Evgenia Shishkova (left), Vadim Naumov (Center) and Spencer Lane (right) were victims of collision between US aircraft and American Black Hawk helicopter. (Instagram/Annehgoldbergball)
The Boston Skating Club was not the only skating community that hit this. Philadelphia Skating Club & Humane Society posted on social networks that the “loved members” of their team were on the flight. Alexandr Kirsanov’s skating coach and two of his skates were also fighting, according to Kirsan’s wife, Per ABC News.
“We can confirm us that several members of our skating community were unfortunately on board the American Airlines Flight 5342, who was colliding with a helicopter yesterday in Washington, DC,” the US statement said. “We are relaxed with this unspeakable tragedy and keep the victims’ families in our hearts.”
While the skating world and the other hit by a collision mourns the losses of loved ones, Mitofanov said that sliders would continue to train and compete with their “family” in mind.
Alice Efimov and Misha Mitofanov receive results during the US Skating Championships in the 2025 year at the Intrust Bank Arena. (William Purnell/Imagings Images)
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“Looking at these children jumping and watching their fire and love for sports, it helped us, honestly, continue to train,” Mitofanov said. “Watching these children developing helps us want to push ourselves too. It’s a two -way street looking at us, but we also look at them.”
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