Searching for a Triple Jumper

[Zvezda]

I am looking for a triple jumper from Kazakhstan – can anybody help me?

Nearly twenty years ago I was in the Soviet Union and met a world-class triple jumper named Oleg Sakirkin from Kazakhstan. I am a figure skater; we met at the athletes’ accommodation and we fell in love. It was during the communist time so I had to leave when my visa expired and after that we lost contact (the old Soviet government monitored our communication in an effort to protect their assets). That was a very long time ago but now I am determined to find Oleg! All I have found so far are his competition records, but what I need is contact information – anything will do. An address, a phone number, email, anything. Does anyone have (or know somebody that has) any jump contacts who might know where to find my Oleg? Please help me!

[Marlow]

I'd trying writing the Federation there:

[email protected]

Good luck - sweet story.

[Zvezda]

Thanks

Good suggestion - I already tried that and have not received a response (yet). I have even tried phoning them many times but cannot get past a busy signal. There is a lot of red tape and bureaucracy in organizations like that. I'm not giving up!

[BruceFlorman]

If he competed at all professionally after the breakup of the SU, you might try contacting Pavel Voronkov. He's an agent who represents a whole bunch of athletes from that part of the world, though I don't know if he goes back quite that far.
http://trackandfield.ru/contacts.php

[Zvezda]

Yes! He was at the Sydney Olympics and may have competed for a few years even after that. I will try your suggestion - thank you so much!

[Half Miler]

I don't have any suggestions for you other than good luck...I really hope you find him! Please check back in with the message board so we'll know if this story has a happy ending.

[Zvezda]

Thank you, that's so sweet. I will definitely post any progress! I already have some to report; I have made contact with a high jumper in Kazakhstan who used to train with Oleg years ago. He wrote me a message saying that he would try to help.

[The Kitchen Cynic]

Good luck - sweet story.

I wish her luck too. Believe it or not, even cynics can be romantic. BUT, the cynical side of me makes me wonder whether it's really true that they fell in love. Is it not possible that she fell in love and he fell in lust (not that there's anything wrong with lust). I mean, the Iron Curtain fell only a few years after this encounter. He's been free to seek her out for many years. Has he?

I hope I'm wrong. But I just have a feeling that this may not turn out to have a happy ending.

Then again, it may. He may be sitting there in Kazakstan with a dreary wife and a dreary life. Along comes this gal he met 20 years ago and he says, ok, I'm outta here. And they live as happily ever after as anyone ever does.

Ah, but that's another subject.

[Zvezda]

You are astute! I did not tell the whole story. We wrote to each other for a year (the letters always arrived opened) and I decided to leave Canada and enrolled in Moscow State University. A few months before I was to leave for Russia I met somebody in Canada. I wrestled with choice, but I cancelled my flight at the very last minute. I took the easier path and it was the wrong choice. I eventually married the Canadian which was a Big Mistake and I have regretted it every day since. When I told Oleg the news I never heard from him again. I must have broken his heart into a million pieces. There is a large hole in his competition record right around that time. The guy I married turned out to be an alcoholic and thank goodness left me two years later. By then Oleg was gone. I have never stopped thinking about him. I suddenly realized since the internet has improved in Kazakhstan I now have a better chance - so I am trying my very best to find him again.
I just want to find out if he is okay and tell him that I made the wrong choice, and that I am still thinking of him. If he is married then I will be disappointed, but relieved that he is happy.

[Half Miler]

Whew! This would make for a great romantic novel. Can't wait for the next chapter!

[The Kitchen Cynic]

You are astute! I did not tell the whole story.

And you, Zvezda,, are even more astute. You knew what I was thinking (and even wrote, but then deleted before posting it because although I am cynical, I am not mean). It did occur to me that there must be some reason why you hadn't pursued him before this either. And now I completely understand.

The fact that he continued to write to you after you returned home suggests to me that maybe he really did have a long term interest in you at the time. And perhaps he still will.

He curtailed his international competition sharply after the 1994 season, so I'm guessing that it's been 13+ years since he's last been in touch with you. The realist in me says that it is likely that he, too, has married since then. But the cynic in me says that there's every reason to hope that even if he is or has been married, his marriage was or is a miserable one, and that he will now feel free to be with you again.

Count me on your side Zvezda. I really do hope this has a happy ending. Do let us all know.

[26mi235]

Whew! This would make for a great romantic novel. Can't wait for the next chapter!

And, you can be part of the chapter by helping find Oleg.

[unclezadok]

Possibilities:
One of the Kazakhs on the Astana Cycling team might know where Kazakh athletes living in the West might be, if he is in the West. The contact I see on their website is the director: [email protected] . Keep in mind they are very busy right now with the Tour of Italy!

The columnist and cartoonist Ted Rall is an expert on Kazahstan and has been there many times. [email protected].

Willie Banks probably knows the guy and where he is!

[Cooter Brown]

retired vaulter Igor Potapovich lives in Sweden and I think owns a portion of Nordic Sport. Maybe one of the resident Swedes can swing on by the factory and ask him. He would've be a teammate of his on multiple national teams.

[Half Miler]

Whew! This would make for a great romantic novel. Can't wait for the next chapter!

And, you can be part of the chapter by helping find Oleg.

OK. I'll start printing some flyers.