Rūta Bunkutė (born November 28, 1979) is a current IFBB/NPC Amateur fitness and figure competitor from Lithuania.
Ruta Bunkute was born in Alytus, and moved to Vilnius, capital of Lithuania, at age sixteen. She has two sisters and a brother. She attended Vilnius Ozas Sport Secondary School. She graduated with two Science Degrees: Bachelor of Engineering (BSc) and Master of Science (MSc) in Construction Engineering (Highways Engineering), from Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (VGTU). She earned a second Master of Science (MSc) Degree in 2010 from the Aston University, Birmingham, United Kingdom as a specialist in Engineering management|Engineering Management.
Ruta Bunkute started ballet when she was seven, then moved on to national round dancing and gymnastics. Her competitive career started at age seven and continued through secondary school as a gymnast, she dropped out of dance classes due to tight schedule in gymnastics. She stopped competing in gymnastics as a result of a serious head injury in 1997, which caused her to start strength and weight training as an alternative.
In 1998 she joined bodybuilding club MAVI in Vilnius where she trained for seven years. Her first competition as fitness competitor were in 2003 in Lithuania where she placed 3rd. The following two years, Ruta competed in nine more competitions, alternating between the Fitness and Figure divisions and competed in the World Fitness Federation (WFF) World Championships in 2004 and 2005 where placed 2nd and 3rd in Fitness and Figure divisions. In 2006 Ruta relocated to the United Kingdom and currently lives in La Jolla, California.
Student Athlete of the year Award in 2005 by Physical Education and Sports Department under the Government of the Republic of Lithuania.Listed in Lithuanian Sport Encyclopedia in 2008 Ruta Bunkute participated in the following shows:
2003 IFBB – LT Lithuanian Cup I, Kupiskis – Figure - 4th place2003 IFBB – LT Lithuanian Cup II, Vilnius – Figure - 3rd place2003 WFF/NABBA Lithuania Open Cup, Marijampole – Fitness - 2nd place2004 WFF Lithuania Open Cup, Klaipeda – Fitness - 2nd place 2004 WFF World Championships, Vilnius – Fitness - 7th place2004 WFF World Championships, Vilnius – Couples - 2nd place 2005 WFF Lithuania Cup, Klaipeda – Fitness - 1st place2005 WFF European Championships, Ryga – Fitness - 7th place2005 WFF Lithuania Cup, Klaipeda – Fitness - 2nd place2005 WFF Worlds Championships, Vilnius – Fitness - 3rd place 2005 WFF Worlds Championships, Vilnius – Couples - 3rd place2007 UKBFF West Midlands Championships, Leamington Spa – 1st place2007 UKBFF Midlands Championships, Birmingham – Bodyfitness - 1st place2007 UKBFF British Finals’07, Nottingham – Bodyfitness - 14th place 2007 UKBFF Stars of Tomorrow, London – Bodyfitness - 1st place2008 UKBFF British Finals’08, Nottingham – Bodyfitness - 14th place 2011 NPC Tournament of Champions, Los Angeles – Figure - 6th place 2011 UKBFF Midlands Championships, Birmingham – Bodyfitness - 1st place2011 UKBFF British Finals’11, Nottingham – Bodyfitness - 4th place 2012 UKBFF London & South East Championships, London – 2nd place 2012 IFBB Arnolds Classics Europe, Madrid – Figure - 13th place2012 UKBFF British Finals’12, Manchester – Bodyfitness - 14th place 2012 NPC/IFBB Border States Championships, San Diego – 10th place2014 NPC/IFBB Ultimate Warriors Championship, San Diego – 8th place 2016 NPC California Night of Champions, San Diego - Masters 35+ Figure - 7th place http://lindsayproductions.com/scoresheets/2016-NOC/2016-NOC-Figure.pdf2016 NPC California Night of Champions, San Diego - Open Figure - 8th place http://lindsayproductions.com/scoresheets/2016-NOC/2016-NOC-Figure.pdf2016 NPC Pacific USA, San Diego - Masters 35+ Figure - 5th place http://lindsayproductions.com/scoresheets/2016-PACIFIC-USA/2016-PACIFIC-USA-Figure.pdf2016 NPC Pacific USA, San Diego - Open Figure - 6th place http://lindsayproductions.com/scoresheets/2016-PACIFIC-USA/2016-PACIFIC-USA-Figure.pdf2016 UKBFF West Midlands Championships, Birmingham, United Kingdom, Bodyfitness - 2nd place