Mikhail Iakovlev

{{Infobox cyclist

| name = Mikhail Yakovlev
Михаил Яковлев
מיכאל יעקובלב

| image = 2024 UEC Track Elite European Championships 201.jpg

| caption = Iakovlev at the 2024 UEC European Track Championships

| fullname = Mikhail Sergeyevich Yakovlev

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2000|9|1|df=y}}{{Cite web|url=https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/athlete/mikhail-yakovlev_1898251|title=YAKOVLEV Mikhail}}

| birth_place = Moscow, Russia

| height = 199 cm{{Cite web|url=https://www.ucitrackchampionsleague.com/riders/2023-uci-tcl-sprint-men-29-mikhail-yakovlev|title=Mikhail Yakovlev |website=UCI Track Champions League}}

| weight = 106 kg

| currentteam =

| discipline = Track

| role = Rider

| ridertype = Sprinter

| amateuryears1 =

| amateurteam1 =

| proyears1 =

| proteam1 =

| majorwins =

Unofficial World record in the 200m flying trial (9.099 seconds; 2022 Moscow Grand Prix) Please note: the world record has not been homologated and officially approved by UCI

| show-medals = yes

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry|{{RUS}}}}

{{MedalCountry|{{ISR}}}}

}}

Mikhail Sergeyevich Yakovlev ({{langx|ru|Михаил Сергеевич Яковлев}}; {{langx|he|מיכאיל סרגייביץ' יקובלב}}; born 1 September 2000), also known as Mikhail Iakovlev, is an Olympic Israeli unofficial world-record-holding racing cyclist.{{cite web|title=Mikhail Yakovlev|url=https://ucitrackchampionsleague.com/rider/mikhail-yakovlev/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230507073013/https://ucitrackchampionsleague.com/rider/mikhail-yakovlev/|url-status=dead|archive-date=7 May 2023|work=UCI Track Champions League}} Born in Russia, he and his family moved to Israel, and he represents Israel internationally. He won the bronze medal in the keirin event at the 2021 UCI Track Cycling World Championships (representing Russia), and bronze medals in Sprint in the 2021 European Championship (representing Russia), and in the 2024 European Championship (representing Israel).{{Cite web|url=https://www.tissottiming.com/|title=Official Website |website=Tissot Timing}} In 2022 Yakovlev set a new unofficial world record in the 200m flying trial in 9.099 seconds.

Iakovlev represented Israel at the 2024 Paris Olympics in cycling in the Men's sprint. In it, he came in seventh, losing to Hamish Turnbull of the United Kingdom in the 1/8 finals by 0.001 seconds. He also represented Israel in the Men's keirin, in which he came in 13th as he won his heat in the qualifiers and was eliminated in the quarter-finals. He set an Olympic record in the men’s track cycling sprint at the competition.

Early and personal life

Iakovlev was born in Moscow, Russia, and is Jewish.{{Cite news|url=https://www.ynet.co.il/sport/article/skpo4h06t|title=מיוחד | הסיפור המדהים של מיכאל יעקובלב: "עבור הרוסים אני בוגד. גאה לייצג את ישראל"|first=סתיו|last=איפרגן|date=March 12, 2024|work=Ynet}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.cyclingarchives.com/coureurfiche.php?coureurid=174738|title=Mikhail Iakovlev|website=Cycling Archives}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.mako.co.il/news-sport/sports_others-2023_q4/Article-4ae7ba513302c81026.htm|title=מיכאל יעקובלב: ראיון ראשון עם רוכב האופניים שקיבל אישור...|date=November 30, 2023|website=N12|author=בן גולדפריינד}} He is Israeli, and lives in Tel Aviv, Israel.{{Cite web|url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1127006/mikhail-iakovlev-russia-israel|title=World cycling medallist Iakovlev switches allegiance from Russia to Israel|author=Michael Houston|date=August 15, 2022|website=Inside the Games}}

Cycling career

In November 2023, UCI Track Champions League data showed Iakovlev had recorded a peak power of 2,840W, making him the most powerful sprinter on the sprint leaderboard.{{Cite web|url=https://www.globalcyclingnetwork.com/racing/features/sprinters-record-huge-power-numbers-at-uci-track-champions-league|title=Sprinters record huge power numbers at UCI Track Champions League; Precise data from the UCI Track Champions League shows exactly what modern track cyclists are capable of|website=Global Cycling Network|date=10 November 2023|author=James Howell-Jones}} He is the tallest and heaviest rider in the field, at 199 cm (6 ft 6 in) and 106 kg (234 lb).

=2020–22; Unofficial World record, and world and European championship bronze medals=

File:2021 UEC Track Jun & U23 European Championships 489.jpg

In 2020 Iakovlev came in second in the European U23 Championship in Sprint, in Fiorenzuola d'Arda (Emilia-Romagna), Italy.

In 2021 he won gold medals in the European U23 Championship in both Keirin and Sprint, in Apeldoorn (Gelderland), the Netherlands, and in the Russian National Championship in Keirin, Sprint, and Team Sprint in Saint Petersburg. Iakovlev also won bronze medals in the 2021 European Championship in Sprint in Grenchen (Solothurn), Switzerland, and in the 2021 World Championship in Keirin in Roubaix (Nord-Pas-de-Calais), France, behind Dutch riders Harrie Lavreysen and Jeffrey Hoogland.{{Cite web|url=https://www.tissottiming.com/|title=Official Website|website=Tissot Timing}}{{cite web | url=https://rus.bike/riders/2790 | title=ЯКОВЛЕВ Михаил Сергеевич; YAKOVLEV Mikhail| work=rus.bike | accessdate=21 October 2021}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/uci-track-champions-league-round-1-2021/men-s-sprint/results/|title=Lavreysen takes men's sprint jersey at UCI Track Champions League|author=Laura Weislo |date=November 6, 2021|website=Cycling News}}

In May 2022 Iakovlev set a new unofficial world record in the 200m flying track time trial in 9.099 seconds, at the Moscow Grand Prix.{{Cite web|url=https://sport24.ru/news/other/2022-08-09-rossiyskiy-velogonshchik-mikhail-yakovlev-budet-vystupat-za-izrail-smena-sportivnogo-grazhdanstva-podrobnosti-mikhail-yakovlev-biografiya|title=Русский суперталант поддержал Украину и получил паспорт Израиля. За Россию он больше выступать не будет - Sport24|website=sport24.ru|date=August 9, 2022}}

=2022–present; European championship bronze medal=

In August 2022, at 21 years of age, Iakovlev moved to Israel and became an Israeli citizen. His sister, parents, and grandmother also moved to Israel two months later, and live in Karmiel near Israel's northern border.{{Cite web|url=https://www.makorrishon.co.il/culture/737207/|title="לקחתי איתי את האופניים, קצת ציוד, ובלי שאף אחד ידע עליתי למטוס לישראל"|date=February 29, 2024|work=Makor Rishon|author=דותן מלאך}} Even before he emigrated to Israel, he had shared photos displaying the Israeli and Ukrainian flags on his social media. He said: "I am Jewish, and want to represent the Jewish people. I am not interested in whether Russia wants me back."

In November 2023, Iakovlev received clearance from the International Olympic Committee to represent Israel at the 2024 Summer Olympics, after the Russian Olympic Committee, which had blocked his release, was suspended.{{cite web| url=https://www.israelhayom.co.il/sport/other-sports/article/14886447 | title=מרוסיה באהבה: רוכב האופניים מיכאל יעקובלב יכול לייצג את ישראל באולימפיאדת פריז|work=Israel HaYaom|author=אורן אהרוני| accessdate=30 November 2023}} The coach of the Russian national track cycling team, Sergey Kovpanets, said that "It is a shame that we lose such a talented rider like Mikhail."

In 2023 Iakovlev won a bronze medal for Israel at the 2023 International Cycling Union (UCI) Track Nations Cup in Jakarta, Indonesia in February.{{Cite web|url=https://www.israelhayom.co.il/sport/other-sports/article/13735174|title=היסטוריה באינדונזיה: מדליית ארד לרוכב אופני המסלול מיכאל יעקבלב | ישראל היום|date=April 18, 2024|website=Israel HaYom}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.thevibes.com/articles/sports/86194/indonesia-track-nations-cup-punchy-pocket-rocketman-bags-silver-in-keirin|title=Indonesia Track Nations Cup: punchy Pocket Rocketman bags silver in keirin|work=The Vibes|date= 25 February 2023}}{{Cite web|url=https://thesun.my/sport/pocket-rocketman-still-packs-a-punch-as-he-delivers-keirin-silver-in-jakarta-AP10682288|title=Pocket Rocketman still packs a punch as he delivers keirin silver in Jakarta|date=February 26, 2023|website=The Sun}} It was the first time an Israeli athlete took the podium in a competition in Indonesia, with the Israeli national uniform and the Israeli flag flying next to his name, as in the past the Muslim country had forbidden it. He then won gold medals in the Israeli National Championship in March, in both Keirin and Sprint.{{Cite web|url=https://www.israelhayom.co.il/sport/other-sports/article/13839557|title=ממשיך לשבור שיאים: מדליית כסף לרוכב אופני המסלול מיכאל יעקבלב במצרים |date=April 19, 2024|website=Israel HaYom}} He also won a silver medal in the third round of the Nations Cup, in Cairo, Egypt, in Sprint, behind Harrie Lavreysen in the Sprint competition. He said: "For me, when I stood on the podium with the flag and the Star of David on my clothes, it felt the most natural in the world. It was as if I was born into it."{{Cite web|url=https://www.israelhayom.co.il/sport/other-sports/article/13878357|title=מיכאל יעקבלב: "לעמוד עם מגן הדוד על הבגדים מרגיש הכי טבעי בעולם" |date=April 19, 2024|website=Israel HaYom}}

In 2024 Iakovlev won the bronze medal in the 2024 European Championship in Sprint, in Apeldoorn (Gelderland), the Netherlands, behind Harrie Lavreysen and Polish cyclist Mateusz Rudyk, while defeating Jeffrey Hoogland in the bronze medal race.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/cycling/european-championships/results|title=UEC European Track Championships Results - Cycling|website=BBC Sport|date= 14 January 2024}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/sports/cycling/dutch-sprint-king-lavreysen-reigns-supreme-euros-2024-01-13/|title=Dutch sprint king Lavreysen reigns supreme at Euros|publisher=Reuters|date=January 13, 2024}} It was Israel's first-ever medal in track cycling at the European Championships.{{Cite web|url=https://www.israelhayom.co.il/sport/other-sports/article/15132380|title="ישראל היא הבית שלי, גאה מאוד בדגל": מיכאל יעקובלב בראיון ל"ישראל היום" |date=April 19, 2024|website=Israel HaYom}} In March 2024 he won the Israeli National Championship in both Keirin and Sprint, for the second straight year.

=2024 Paris Olympics; Olympic sprint record=

Iakovlev represented Israel at the 2024 Paris Olympics in cycling. In the Men's sprint he came in seventh, losing to team sprint silver medalist Hamish Turnbull of the United Kingdom in the third round 1/8 finals by 0.001 seconds.[https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-cyclist-wows-in-opening-race-taekwondo-fighter-ousted-in-1st-paris-match/ "Israeli cyclist wows in opening race, taekwondo fighter ousted in 1st Paris match,"] The Times of Israel. At 23 years of age, he set an Olympic record in the men’s track cycling sprint at the competition, with a time of 9.152 seconds.Amy Spiro (August 7, 2024). [https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/israeli-cyclist-mikhail-iakovlev-briefly-sets-new-olympic-record-in-mens-sprint/ "Israeli cyclist Mikhail Yakovlev briefly sets new Olympic record in men’s sprint,"] The Times of Israel.

He also competed in the Men's keirin, and won his heat in the qualifiers well ahead of 2023 world champion Kevin Quintero of Colombia and four other riders. He came in 13th in the competition, as he next competed in the quarter-finals, where he was eliminated.[https://newsday.co.tt/2024/08/10/nicholas-paul-advances-to-keirin-quarterfinals-at-olympics-kwesi-browne-to-contest-repechage/ "Nicholas Paul advances to keirin quarterfinals at Olympics, Kwesi Browne to contest repechage,"] Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.{{Cite news|url=https://www.ynet.co.il/sport/article/hy00qy9cxc|title=רשמית: מיכאל יעקובלב קיבל את הכרטיס לאולימפיאדה|first=סתיו|last=איפרגן|date=April 15, 2024|work=Ynet}}