{{short description|Israeli swimmer}} {{Infobox swimmer | name = Jonatan Kopelev | image = Jonatan Kopelev 2.jpg | imagesize = 220 | caption = | fullname = | nicknames =Johnny<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.fina.org/athletes/jonatan-kopelev|title=Jonatan Kopelev | fina.org - Official FINA website|website=www.fina.org}}</ref> | 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|[[LEN European Aquatics Championships|European Championships (LC)]]}} {{MedalGold| [[2012 European Aquatics Championships|2012 Debrecen]]|[[Swimming at the 2012 European Aquatics Championships – Men's 50 metre backstroke|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 [[Swimming (sport)|swimmer]]. He competes in 100 m backstroke, 200 m backstroke, and 50 m backstroke. He won a [[gold medal]] in the [[Swimming at the 2012 European Aquatics Championships – Men's 50 metre backstroke|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.<ref name="auto1"/> He and his wife Monada live in [[Haifa, Israel]].<ref name="auto1"/>
==Swimming career== His club is [[Maccabi Haifa]].<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.swimcloud.com/swimmer/861556/?referer=collegeswimming.com|title=Jonatan Kopelev | Swimcloud|website=www.swimcloud.com|date=3 August 2018 }}</ref> Kopelev competes in 100 m backstroke, 200 m backstroke, and 50 m backstroke.<ref>{{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}}</ref>
Kopelev won a [[gold medal]] in the 50 metre backstroke at the [[2012 European Aquatics Championships]] in [[Debrecen, Hungary]].<ref name="auto1"/> In doing so he became the first Israeli swimmer to win a gold medal at the European championships.<ref name="auto1"/> 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]].<ref>{{cite news|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=[[The Times of Israel]] |issn=0040-7909}}</ref><ref>{{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}}</ref>
Kopelev came in eighth in the men’s 50 m backstroke at the [[2013 World Aquatics Championships]], with a lifetime best of 24.73.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://swimswam.com/european-championships-preview-mens-backstroke/|title=European Championships Preview - Men's Backstroke|date=August 14, 2014|website=SwimSwam}}</ref>
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.<ref>{{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}}</ref>
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.<ref name="auto"/>
Kopelev competed for [[Israel at the 2019 World Aquatics Championships]].<ref>{{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}}</ref>
==See also== *[[List of Israeli records in swimming]]
==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:1991 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[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}}