Michael Kolganov

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Competitor for Israel
Olympic medal record
Men's Canoeing
Bronze	2000 Sydney	K-1 500 m

Michael Kolganov (born 24 October 1974, in Tashkent, Uzbekistan) is an Israeli flatwater canoer and former world champion.

Born Mikhail Kolganov in the former Soviet Union, he took up canoeing at the age of 14. “I was a fat young boy,” he recalled, “and my parents were looking for a hobby for me that would help me lose weight.”[1] Kolganov’s older brother Andrei was already a Soviet youth champion in kayaks, and represented the former Soviet Union.

He was brought to Israel by the Jewish Agency in 1995. A graduate in Physical Education from the University of Tashkent, he first settled in Haifa, and after a brief spell with the Hapoel Haifa rowing club, he moved eastwards to join Hapoel Emek HaYarden, living nearby at Kibbutz Deganya Bet.

Kolganov served in the Israeli army within the framework of the IDF’s program for sporting excellence. He was stationed near to home so that he could train more easily.

1 World Champion
2 Olympics
3 K2 competition
4 Miscellaneous
5 Link

[edit] World Champion

Since 1997 he has represented Israel, twice becoming individual (K1) 200m world champion (1998 and 1999). He was also 500m silver medallist in 1998.

[edit] Olympics

At the Sydney 2000, he won the K1 500m bronze medal, and finished 4th in the 1000m.

[edit] K2 competition

In recent years Kolganov has competed in the K2. At the 2006 European Championships in Račice, Czech Republic, he won the K2 200m bronze medal with partner Barak Lufan. At the World Championships in Szeged, Hungary, Kolganov and Lufan reached two finals, placing 5th (200m) and 6th (500m).