The American prodigy Ilia Malinin, 20, had several club friends who were on the plane that crashed after colliding with a helicopter just before landing in Washington DC at the end of January. A total of 67 people died, according to American media.
They will always be with me, in my thoughts and in my heart, he says about the young skaters who had been at a development camp after the American championships in Wichita, Kansas.
I still think about them sometimes and it makes me feel bad not to see them on the ice, training with me and looking up to me. That's why I want to dedicate the World Championship to all those who were on the flight and will give it my all to make it special for them.
Memorial Moment
The World Championship, which begins on Wednesday, is being held in Boston. Three of the World Championship organizers' young skaters died in the plane crash, as well as their coaches, the former world champions Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov.
The figure skating world has come together in various ways to help heal the wounds after the tragedy, including a fundraising gala. The World Championship is seen as part of the healing process, including a memorial moment on Wednesday, between the ladies' and pairs' short programs.
"Take Care of the Sorrow"
It will be part of the recovery process, to take care of the sorrow and support the families. Even though the focus is on the competitions, they will also be part of handling all of this. During the World Championship, all the energy that is now gathered in Boston can become something very positive, says Sam Auxier, acting chairman of the US Figure Skating Association.
On January 30, a passenger plane, on its way to land in Washington DC, collided with a military helicopter. The plane, which took off from Wichita in Kansas, crashed into the Potomac River and all 67 on board died.
The plane crash is the worst in the USA since November 2001, when a plane crashed shortly after taking off from JFK Airport in New York. Then, all 260 on board and five people on the ground died.
