Michael Kolganov

Michael Kolganov
Medal record
Men's canoe sprint
Competitor for  Israel
Olympic Games
Bronze 2000 Sydney K-1 500 m
World Championships
Gold 1998 Szeged K-1 200 m
Gold 1999 Milan K-1 200 m
Silver 1998 Szeged K-1 500 m

Michael Kolganov (Hebrew: מיכאל קלגנוב‎, born October 24, 1974 in Tashkent, Uzbek SSR) is a Soviet-born, Israeli sprint canoer and former world champion. Competing in three Summer Olympics, he won the bronze medal in the K-1 500 m event at Sydney in 2000.[1] He was the flag bearer for Israel during the Opening Ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics.[2]

Biography

Born Mikhail Kolganov in the former Soviet Union, he is Jewish,[3] and 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."[4] Kolganov's older brother Andrei also represents the Soviet Union, and was Soviet youth champion in kayak competition.[4]

He has represented Israel in competition since 1997. Kolganov was K-1 200 m world champion in 1998 and 1999, and earned a K-1 500 m silver in 1998.

He represented Israel at the 2000 Summer Olympics, winning the K-1 500 m bronze medal and finishing fourth in the K-1 1000 m event. He competed on behalf of Israel at the 2004 Summer Olympics, and finished fourth in the K-1 500 m. He competed on behalf of Israel at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China,[5] and failed to advance to the final in both the K-1 500 m and K-1 1000 m events.

He has also competed in the K-2. At the 2006 European Championships in Račice, Czech Republic, he won the K2 200 m bronze medal with partner Barak Lufan. At the 2006 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships in Szeged, Hungary, Kolganov and Lufan finished fifth in the K-2 200 m and sixth in the K-2 500 m.

Kolganov served in the Israel Defense Forces.[4]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Michael Kolganov". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC.
  2. ↑ "Kolganov to carry Israel flag in Beijing". Jerusalem Post. July 9, 2008.
  3. ↑ Taylor, Paul (2004). Jews and the Olympic Games: The Clash Between Sport and Politics : with a Complete Review of Jewish Olympic Medallists. Sussex Academic Press. ISBN 9781903900871.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Griver, Simon. "Row Michael Row". Jewish Agency for Israel. Archived from the original on September 15, 2005. Retrieved January 11, 2014.
  5. ↑ "Israel at the 2008 Beijing Summer Games". Sports-reference.com. Retrieved November 14, 2011.