Passages: Vladimir Bure, Olympic Medalist Swimmer and Famous Hockey Father, 73
Vladimir Bure, who won four Olympic medals in the pool for the Soviet Union, died on Sept. 3. He was 73 years of age.
Bure represented the Soviet Union at three Olympics, in 1968, 1972 and 1976. He won bronze in the 100 freestyle in Munich in 1972, behind Americans Mark Spitz and Jerry Heidenriech, to go with three relays medals – two in Munich and one in Mexico City. His biggest medal was a silver in the 400 free relay in Munich.
The last name is perhaps best known in hockey circles: His sons Pavel Bure and Valeri Bure both played in the National Hockey League for a combined 21 seasons – 12 for Pavel, nine for Valeri. Pavel was a seven-time All-Star, inducted to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2012. Valeri was named an All-Star once. The brothers won Olympic silver in 1998 and bronze in 2002 for Russia.
Vladimir Bure, however, is the only one with his name on the Stanley Cup, having worked as a fitness consultant for the New Jersey Devils when they won it in 2000 and 2003. He spent a decade with them, from 1999-2010, and he also worked for the Vancouver Canucks when Pavel played there.
“The Devils organization is saddened to learn of the passing of Vladimir Bure, who spent over a decade with the organization,” the Devils said in a team statement. “A former Olympic medalist in swimming, he became a pioneer in the field of athlete training for thirty years. He served as Fitness Consultant for New Jersey from 1999-2010, and had his name engraved on the Stanley Cup in 2000 and 2003. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends at this time.”
Though Vladimir was separated from wife Tatiana Bure in the early 1980s, the family moved to the United States to further their sons’ hockey careers. Vladimir became estranged from his sons later in life.
Vladimir Bure was born in Norilsk, within the Arctic circle in Central Russia. He swam for Lokomotiv Moscow and Armed Forces Moscow.
Bure swam at the first two FINA World Championships, winning silver in the 100 free at the 1975 event in Cali and relay silver two years earlier in Belgrade. He was a gold medalist with the Soviet Union at the 1970 European Championships and won individual silver in the 100 free at Euros in 1974 and 1977.