Yulia Barsukova

Yulia Vladimirovna Barsukova (Russian: Ю́лия Влади́мировна Барсуко́ва, born 31 December 1978) is a Russian retired individual rhythmic gymnast. She is the 2000 Olympic champion in the All-Around, the 2000 Grand Prix Final All-around champion, the 1999 World All-around bronze medalist, 2000 European All-around bronze medalist and 1999 Grand Prix Final All-around bronze medalist.

This name uses Eastern Slavic naming customs; the patronymic is Vladimirovna and the family name is Barsukova.

Yulia Barsukova Юлия Барсукова
Barsukova winning the gold medal at Sydney 2000 Olympics
Personal information
Full name	Yulia Vladimirovna Barsukova
Alternative name(s)	Julia Barsoukova
Nickname(s)	Miss Bolshoi
Country represented	Russia
Born	(1978-12-31) 31 December 1978 Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Height	170 cm (5 ft 7 in)
Weight	45 kg (99 lb)
Discipline	Rhythmic gymnastics
Club	MGFSO
Head coach(es)	Irina Viner
Assistant coach(es)	Vera Shatalina
Retired	2000
Medal record Rhythmic Gymnastics Representing  Russia Olympic Games 2000 Sydney All-around World Championships 1999 Osaka Team 1999 Osaka All-around 1999 Osaka Rope European Championships 1999 Budapest Rope 2000 Zaragoza Rope 2000 Zaragoza Team 1999 Budapest Ball 1999 Budapest Hoop 2000 Zaragoza All-around 2000 Zaragoza Hoop 2000 Zaragoza Ball European Team Championships 1999 Patras Team World Cup Final 2000 Glasgow Hoop 2000 Glasgow Rope 2000 Glasgow Ball 2000 Glasgow Ribbon Grand Prix Final 2000 Deventer All-around 2000 Deventer Ball 2000 Deventer Rope 2000 Deventer Ribbon 1999 Korneuburg Rope 1999 Korneuburg Ribbon 1999 Korneuburg All-around 1999 Korneuburg Ball

Early life

Barsukova began figure skating at age five in the Izmaylovo District of Moscow where she lived. When she was eight years old, she passed a sports club and saw girls practicing rhythmic gymnastics through the window. Her father soon enrolled her in the sport. After three years, she moved to Tagansky District high school's rhythmic gymnastics department.

Competitive career

Barsukova was coached by Vera Silaeva until she was sixteen, when Silaeva took her student to Russia's head coach, Irina Viner. Viner was unimpressed initially but accepted her at the urging of Russia's national team choreographer, Veronica Shatkova.

Barsukova began competing at international competitions following the coaching change. For six years she competed under the shadow of other Russian gymnasts, Yanina Batyrchina, Amina Zaripova, Natalia Lipkovskaya and then Alina Kabaeva. Barsukova considered quitting rhythmic gymnastics until Viner persuaded her to stay and be patient. She had her breakthrough in 1998. During an event dedicated to the 15th anniversary of Ballet Magazine, Barsukova performed along with the stars of the theater. She performed her "Dying Swan" ball routine and received the unofficial title of Miss Bolshoi Theater.

2000 Olympics

(L-R) Alina Kabaeva (bronze), Yulia Barsukova (gold) and Yulia Raskina (silver) at 2000 Olympic Games Podium

Barsukova won many rhythmic gymnastics titles after her emergence in major competitions as a second member of the Russian team. She won gold in hoop at the 2000 World Cup Final in Glasgow and then gold at the 2000 Sydney Olympics after a hoop fumble by then-World champion, Alina Kabaeva. She was the 2000 European All-around bronze medalist and won the rope final at the 2000 European Championships (9.983). She was the oldest Olympic champion in rhythmic gymnastics—21 years, 8 months and 27 days—until fellow Russian Evgenia Kanaeva won her second gold medal at London 2012 being aged 22 years, 4 months and 7 days.

After the Olympics, Barsukova won the all-around title at the Grand Prix Final in Deventer where she also won gold in ball, rope and ribbon final. She retired from competition following the 2000 Aeon Cup. She has participated in Russia's Channel One project "Stars on Ice".

On 15 February 2015, a star-studded gala was held in Russia for the 80th founding anniversary of Rhythmic Gymnastics. The venue was held in the historical Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg. Among those who performed at the gala were Russian former Olympic champions, Olympic medalists and World champions including: Barsukova, Evgenia Kanaeva, Irina Tchachina, Daria Dmitrieva, and Yana Batyrshina.[1]

Personal life

Barsukova is married to Denis Samokhin, a Russian former ice dancer and currently working as an Ice dancing coach and international tech specialist for the International Skating Union. They have a son, Nikita, born 2008.[2]

Routine music information

Barsukova at the 1999 European Championships

Year	Apparatus	Music title [3]
2000	Hoop	Nightmare music from Lord of the Dance by Ronan Hardiman
	Rope	Breath of Sax by dj dado feat control X
	Ball	The Dying Swan music from The Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint-Saëns
	Ribbon	The Feeling Begins (from The Last Temptation of Christ) by Peter Gabriel
1999	Hoop	Introduction: Moderato Assai – Allegro Ma Non Troppo from Swan Lake by Tchaikovsky
	Rope	Act I: Danse Generale (Valse-Coda) music from Giselle by Adolphe Adam
	Ball	The Dying Swan music from Carnival Of The Animals by Saint-Saëns Camille
	Ribbon	The Feeling Begins (from The Last Temptation of Christ) by Peter Gabriel
1998	Hoop	Introduction: Moderato Assai – Allegro Ma Non Troppo from Swan Lake by Tchaikovsky
	Clubs	I was born in Mexico / Arabia music from Don Juan de Marco by Michael Kamen
	Ball	The Dying Swan music from Carnival Of The Animals by Saint-Saëns Camille
	Ribbon	At the Circus / Adagio of Spartacus and Phrygia (from Spartacus) by Aram Khatchaturian
1997	Hoop	?
	Clubs	I was born in Mexico / Arabia music from Don Juan de Marco by Michael Kamen
	Ball	The Dying Swan music from Carnival Of The Animals by Saint-Saëns Camille
	Ribbon	At the Circus / Adagio of Spartacus and Phrygia (from Spartacus) by Aram Khatchaturian
1996	Rope	?
	Clubs	I was born in Mexico / Arabia music from Don Juan de Marco by Michael Kamen
	Ball	The Dying Swan music from Carnival Of The Animals by Saint-Saëns Camille
	Ribbon	?

Olympics Detail

Year	Competition Description	Location	Music	Apparatus	Score-Final	Score-Qualifying
2000	Olympics	Sydney		All-around	39.632	39.600
			The Feeling Begins by Peter Gabriel	Ribbon	9.933	9.900
			The Dying Swan by Saint-Saëns Camille	Ball	9.916	9.900
			Nightmare by Ronan Hardiman	Hoop	9.900	9.900
			Breath of Sax by dj dado feat control X	Rope	9.883	9.900

References

1. "As Russian Rhythmic Gymnastics turns 80, legends to celebrate in style in St. Petersburg". International Federation of Gymnastics. 17 February 2015.
2. "Барсукова Юлия Владимировна". sc-rg.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 10 May 2020.
3. "Barsukova RG music list". rgforum.

External links

• Yulia Barsukova at the International Gymnastics Federation
• Rhythmic Gymnastics Results