Andrei Bukin began figure skating at age seven….while 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….after 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 Abankinka….whom he married. In 1977….and 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 Calgary Winter Olympics…..as the duo capped their lengthy career by winning the gold medal there….as well as that year’s World Championships…..as seen in this video herewith.
Natalia Bestemianova was coached by Tatiana Tarasova….and was paired by her with her future long time partner Andrei Bukin….as they competed in ice dance. In 1984, Bestemianova was named an Honoured Master of Sports of the USSR. The “Besti Squat” was Bestemianova’s signature move and is unofficially named for her. In 1983, Bestemianova married Igor Bobrin. After she finished her career she performed in the Ice Miniature Theater, led by her husband.
