Michael Kolganov

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

Michael Kolganov (Hebrew: מיכאל קלגנוב, born October 24, 1974) is an Israeli sprint canoeist 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 Tashkent in the former Soviet Union, he is Jewish,[3][4] 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."[5] Kolganov's older brother Andrei also represented the Soviet Union, and was Soviet youth champion in kayak competition.[5] He immigrated to Israel in 1995.[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,[6] 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.[5]

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. Archived from the original on May 27, 2012.
  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. 1 2
  5. 1 2 3 Griver, Simon. "Row Michael Row". Jewish Agency for Israel. Archived from the original on September 15, 2005. Retrieved January 11, 2014.
  6. "Israel at the 2008 Beijing Summer Games". Sports-reference.com. Retrieved November 14, 2011.
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