By ALLON SINAI
Michael Kolganov will represent Israel at the Beijing Olympics after all.
The International Canoeing Federation notified the Olympic Committee of Israel on Thursday that a place has been the vacated in the K1 500 meter Olympic competition, meaning Kolganov will participate in his third straight Games.
The 33-year-old claimed Israel's only medal at the Sydney Olympics eight years ago, a bronze in the K1 500m event.
Kolganov almost became the first Israeli to claim two medals in a single Games in 2000, finishing in fourth position in the 1000m in Sydney, a race which he will also compete in at Beijing.
Kolganov, who made aliya from Tashkent, Uzbekistan, in 1995, is also a two-time K1 200m world champion (1998 and 1999) and was also a silver medallist in the 500m competition in 1998.