Jonatan Kopelev
{{short description|Israeli swimmer}}
{{Infobox swimmer
| name = Jonatan Kopelev
| image = Jonatan Kopelev 2.jpg
| imagesize = 220
| caption =
| fullname =
| nicknames =Johnny{{Cite web|url=http://www.fina.org/athletes/jonatan-kopelev|title=Jonatan Kopelev | fina.org - Official FINA website|website=www.fina.org}}
| nationality = Israeli
| strokes = Backstroke
| club = Maccabi Haifa
| coach =
| collegeteam =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1991|10|1}}
| birth_place =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height = 1.92 m
| weight =
|show-medals=
| medaltemplates=
{{MedalCompetition|European Championships (LC)}}
{{MedalGold| 2012 Debrecen|50 m backstroke}}
|native_name=יהונתן קופלב|native_name_lang=he}}
Jonatan Kopelev (or Yehonatan, {{langx|he|יהונתן קופלב}}; born 1 October 1991) is an Israeli swimmer. He competes in 100 m backstroke, 200 m backstroke, and 50 m backstroke. He won a gold medal in the 50 m backstroke at the 2012 European Aquatics Championships.
Early and personal life
Kopelev began swimming at age seven, at the Maccabi Haifa Carmel club. He and his wife Monada live in Haifa, Israel.
Swimming career
His club is Maccabi Haifa.{{Cite web|url=https://www.swimcloud.com/swimmer/861556/?referer=collegeswimming.com|title=Jonatan Kopelev | Swimcloud|website=www.swimcloud.com|date=3 August 2018 }} Kopelev competes in 100 m backstroke, 200 m backstroke, and 50 m backstroke.{{Cite web|url=https://www.the-sports.org/jonatan-josef-kopelev-swimming-spf257646.html|title=Swimming - Yssela Adiane Yilian Wee Erquiaga (Singapore)|website=www.the-sports.org}}
Kopelev won a gold medal in the 50 metre backstroke at the 2012 European Aquatics Championships in Debrecen, Hungary. In doing so he became the first Israeli swimmer to win a gold medal at the European championships. He qualified for the 2012 Olympics, swimming a 54.38 in the 100 m backstroke in a competition in Slovenia in June 2012, but was unable to compete in the Games due to an appendectomy.{{Cite web|url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-swimmers-make-finals-in-world-championships/|title=Israeli swimmers make finals in World Championships|first=T. O. I.|last=staff|website=www.timesofisrael.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.swimmersdaily.com/2012/06/03/israels-kopelev-books-london-2012-ticket/|title=Israel's Kopelev books London 2012 ticket|date=June 3, 2012}}
Kopelev came in eighth in the men’s 50 m backstroke at the 2013 World Aquatics Championships, with a lifetime best of 24.73.{{Cite web|url=https://swimswam.com/european-championships-preview-mens-backstroke/|title=European Championships Preview - Men's Backstroke|date=August 14, 2014|website=SwimSwam}}
In July 2016 he posted the fastest time in 2016 for the men’s 50 m backstroke with a time of 24.60, also setting a new Israeli record.{{Cite web|url=https://swimswam.com/kopelev-posts-the-fastest-50-backstroke-of-2016/|title=Kopelev Posts the Fastest 50 Backstroke of 2016|date=July 28, 2016|website=SwimSwam}}
In December 2018 Kopelev came in second in the 50 S backstroke in the Israel International Arena Winter Championship with a time of 24.25.
Kopelev competed for Israel at the 2019 World Aquatics Championships.{{Cite web|url=https://swimswam.com/2019-fina-world-aquatics-championships-day-7-prelims-recap/|title=2019 FINA World Aquatics Championships: Day 7 Prelims Recap|date=July 27, 2019|website=SwimSwam}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.the-sports.org/jonatan-josef-kopelev-swimming-spf257646.html The-sports.org]
- [https://www.instagram.com/jkopelev/ Instagram page]
{{Footer European Champions 50m Backstroke Men}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kopelev, Jonatan}}
Category:Israeli male swimmers
Category:Israeli male backstroke swimmers
Category:European Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming
Category:Sportspeople from Haifa
Category:Israeli people of Russian-Jewish descent
Category:21st-century Israeli sportsmen
{{Israel-swimming-bio-stub}}