Andrei Bukin Explained

Andrei Bukin
Fullname:Andrei Anatolyevich Bukin
Formercountry:Soviet Union
Birth Date:10 June 1957
Birth Place:Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Height:1.85m (06.07feet)
Formerpartner:Natalia Bestemianova
Olga Abankina
Formercoach:Tatiana Tarasova
Nadezhda Shirokova
Retired:1988

Andrei Anatolyevich Bukin (Russian: Андрей Анатольевич Букин, born 10 June 1957) is a Soviet and Russian former ice dancer who represented the Soviet Union in his competitive career. With his partner Natalia Bestemianova, he is the 1988 Olympic Champion, 1984 Olympic silver medalist, four-time World champion, three-time World silver medalist, and five-time European champion.

Career

Bukin began figure skating at age seven, entering the Children and Youth Sports School of CSKA in Moscow. The group trained at a small stadium in Chapayevsky Park near Pesochnaya Square. At age ten, he joined Spartak and began ice dancing, originally training at the Small Sports Arena of the Central Lenin Stadium. In his early career, he was coached by Nadezhda Shirokova and his ice dancing partner was Olga Abankina, whom he married. In 1977, he joined the group of the famous coach Tatiana Tarasova, who paired him with Natalia Bestemianova. Bukin was the USSR Olympic Team Flag Bearer at the 1988 Winter Olympics. The duo capped their lengthy career by winning the gold medal there and at that year's World Championships.

Personal life

Bukin married former ice dancing partner, Olga Abankina, with whom he has a son Andrei (born 1983). With his current partner, Yelena Vasyukova, a former ice dancer, he has a son, Ivan Bukin, born in 1993, who is also a competitive ice dancer.

Competitive highlights

With Bestemianova

International
Event78–7979–8080–8181–8282–8383–8484–8585–8686–8787–88
align=left 8th bgcolor=silver 2nd bgcolor=gold 1st
align=left 10th bgcolor=cc9966 3rd bgcolor=silver 2nd bgcolor=silver 2nd bgcolor=silver 2nd bgcolor=gold 1st bgcolor=gold 1st bgcolor=gold 1st bgcolor=gold 1st
align=left 6th 4th bgcolor=silver 2nd bgcolor=gold 1st bgcolor=silver 2nd bgcolor=gold 1st bgcolor=gold 1st bgcolor=gold 1st bgcolor=gold 1st
align=left bgcolor=silver 2nd
align=left bgcolor=gold 1st bgcolor=gold 1st
align=left 4th bgcolor=silver 2nd bgcolor=cc9966 3rd bgcolor=gold 1st bgcolor=gold 1st bgcolor=gold 1st bgcolor=silver 2nd bgcolor=gold 1st
National
align=left bgcolor=cc9966 3rd 4th bgcolor=silver 2nd bgcolor=cc9966 3rd bgcolor=gold 1st bgcolor=gold 1st bgcolor=silver 2nd bgcolor=gold 1st

With Abankina

Programs

(With Bestemianova)

SeasonOriginal set patternFree danceExhibition
1987–1988Tango Hernando's HideawayPolovetsian Dances
1986–1987Cabaret medley
1985–1986Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
1984–1985Carmen
1983–1984Paso Doble
1982–1983
1981–1982FD: "Sabre Dance" by Aram Khatchaturian, "Romeo and Juliet" by Tchiakovsky, Finale from "William Tell" Overture by Rossini (modern piano version)
1980–1981
1979–1980

External links