BC Khimki officially hires Rimas Kurtinaitis as head coach

BC Khimki and a well-known Lithuanian specialist Rimas Kurtinaitis signed an agreement to the end of the 2010/11 season, with a possible prolongation for another year. The new coach will join the team in Tallinn, where the yellow-blue will go on Tuesday. The interim head coach Oleg Meleschenko has left the club.
Victor Bychkov, BC Khimki General Manager:

— Because of the fact our team can not reach its proper level, and also as a result of painful defeats from direct competitors in the fight for the PBL Championship medals — UNICS and CSKA Moscow, we have made a difficult decision: to part with Oleg Meleschenko, an interim head coach. First of all, I would like to express my gratitude to Oleg, who spent several good seasons within the club's coaching staff and who at a difficult time was not afraid to take on the duties of a head coach. We wish Meleschenko good luck and hope that his career will continue to emerge successfully.

A new BC Khimki head coach will be a well-known Lithuanian specialist, an Olympic champion — Rimas Kurtinaitis. In 2009 Lietuvos Rytas with Kurtinaitis won the European Cup, defeated BC Khimki in the final — it was one of the most painful defeats in our history. Rimas is a very hard-working coach. Moreover the very tasks before the team have not been removed — it's still a good performance in the final of VTB United League, as well as in the PBL Championship which ensures the entrance to Euroleague. We hope that together with Rimas we will achieve all the goals.

Oleg Meleschenko, BC Khimki interim head coach from December 20, 2010 to March 14, 2011:

— I would like to thank the BC Khimki leaders for giving me a chance. For me it was an invaluable experience. Now we are not in a proper place in the standings but I'm sure that a team with such a great potential and a strong roster will achieve best results. Thanks to everyone who believed in me and helped. I wish BC Khimki and Rimas Kurtinaitis future successes. I'll necessarily follow the results and of the club, that gave me a lot in terms of coaching career.

Rimas Kurtinaitis (Lithuania)

Birthday — May 15, 1960, Kaunas.
Career history:

As a player

1981-1983 – PBC CSKA Moscow,
1983-1989, 1992, 1995-1996 – BC Žalgiris (Lithuania),
1989-1992 – BC Hagen (Germany),
1992 – BC Huesca (Spain),
1993 – Townsville Suns (Australia),
1993-1995 – Real Madrid (Spain),
1996-1997 – Chalons (France),
1997-1998 – BC Atletas (Lithuania),
1998-1999 – BC Lietuvos Rytas (Lithuania),
2001-2002 – BC Kyiv (Ukraine)

Achievements:

— Olympic champion — 1988;
— Olympic Bronze medalist — 1992, 1996;
— European champion — 1985, European championship Silver medalist — 1987, 1995, European championship Bronze medalist — 1989;
— World Champion — 1982;
— World championship Silver medalist — 1986;
— Intercontinental Cup winner — 1986;
— USSR champion in CSKA — 1982, BC Žalgiris — 1985, 1986, 1987, USSR Championship silver medalist in BC Žalgiris — 1983, 1984, 1988, 1989;
— Spanish champion — 1995;

After finishing his playing career Kurtinaitis was the Director of the Department of Physical Education and Sports under the Government of Lithuania from June 2, 1997 to August 20, 2001.

As a coach:

2002-2004 – Gala BC Baku and Azerbaijan National team,
2005 – Lithuanian Youth National team head coach,
2006 – PBC Ural Great Perm,
January — December 2007 — BC Sakalai (Vilnius, Lithuania),
December 2007 — BC Slensk (Poland),
December 2008 — 2010 – BC Lietuvos Rytas (Lithuania),
2010 – March 2011 – VEF-Riga (Latvia),
Since March 15, 2011 — BC Khimki

Achievements:

2005 – Lithuanian Youth National team silver medalist;
2009 – Lithuanian champion, ULEB Eurocup champion, Baltic Basketball League winner, LKF cup winner

Awards:

Medal «For working valour» (1985)

Private life:

Married, has a son and a daughter.