Iztok Cop
Encyclopedia
Iztok Čop (born June 17, 1972 in Kranj
, SR Slovenia) is a Slovenia
n rower and Olympic gold medallist.
Iztok started rowing at the age of 13 in Bled
, where Slovenia's best rowing club is located.
Originally rowing in the coxless pairs, Čop finished second in the World Championships in 1991, and won Bronze at the Barcelona Olympics
in 1992 with Denis Žvegelj
(the first Olympic medal for independent Slovenia
). He then switched to the single scull, winning gold at the 1995 World Championship, but came fourth at the Atlanta Olympics
in 1996. He then changed to the men's double sculls with Luka Špik
, and won the 1999 World Championships, and gold at the Sydney Olympics
in 2000, which was the first Olympic gold medal for Slovenia since its independence
. Špik and Čop were the favourites to win the men's double sculls at the 2004 Summer Olympics
, but finished in the silver medal position.
Iztok lives in Radovljica
with his wife Petra and daughter
s Ruby and Amber.
In 2008 he became the fourth Slovenian to compete at five Olympics, after shooter Rajmond Debevec
(seven Olympics) in 2000, biathlete/cross country skier Sašo Grajf in 2002, and biathlete Janez Ožbolt in 2006.
Junior World Championships:
World Championships:
Kranj
' is the third largest municipality and fourth largest city in Slovenia, with a population of 54,500 . It is located approximately 20 km north-west of Ljubljana...
, SR Slovenia) is a Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
n rower and Olympic gold medallist.
Iztok started rowing at the age of 13 in Bled
Bled
Bled is a municipality in northwestern Slovenia in the region of Upper Carniola. The area, within the Julian Alps, is a popular tourist destination.-History:...
, where Slovenia's best rowing club is located.
Originally rowing in the coxless pairs, Čop finished second in the World Championships in 1991, and won Bronze at the Barcelona Olympics
1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
in 1992 with Denis Žvegelj
Denis Zvegelj
Denis Žvegelj, born on June 24, 1972 in Jesenice, SR Slovenia is an ex Slovenian rower and Olympic medallist.-Rowing Achievements:Olympic Games*1992: Barcelona – 3rd place...
(the first Olympic medal for independent Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
). He then switched to the single scull, winning gold at the 1995 World Championship, but came fourth at the Atlanta Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
in 1996. He then changed to the men's double sculls with Luka Špik
Luka Spik
Luka Špik , is a Slovenian rower and Olympic gold medalist.Špik and Iztok Čop won the 1999 World Championship, and gold at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, which was the first Olympic gold medal for independent Slovenia....
, and won the 1999 World Championships, and gold at the Sydney Olympics
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
in 2000, which was the first Olympic gold medal for Slovenia since its independence
Independence
Independence is a condition of a nation, country, or state in which its residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory....
. Špik and Čop were the favourites to win the men's double sculls at the 2004 Summer Olympics
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
, but finished in the silver medal position.
Iztok lives in Radovljica
Radovljica
Radovljica is a town and a municipality in in the Upper Carniola region of northern Slovenia. The municipality has around 18,000 inhabitants and an area of 118 km²...
with his wife Petra and daughter
Daughter
A daughter is a female offspring; a girl, woman, or female animal in relation to her parents. The male equivalent is a son. Analogously the name is used on several areas to show relations between groups or elements.-Etymology:...
s Ruby and Amber.
In 2008 he became the fourth Slovenian to compete at five Olympics, after shooter Rajmond Debevec
Rajmond Debevec
Rajmond Debevec was born in Postojna, Slovenia, a part of the former Yugoslavia, on March 29, 1963. He became involved in shooting sports in 1971 and became a member of Junior national team in 1979. He won his first medal in 1980 by participating in Junior European Championship with air rifle...
(seven Olympics) in 2000, biathlete/cross country skier Sašo Grajf in 2002, and biathlete Janez Ožbolt in 2006.
Achievements
Olympic GamesOlympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
- 1992: BarcelonaBarcelonaBarcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
(ESP) – 3rd place (coxless pair with Denis Žvegelj) - 1996: Atlanta (USA) – 4th place (single scull)
- 2000: SydneySydneySydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
(AUS) – 1st place (double scull with Luka Špik) - 2004: AthensAthensAthens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
(GRE) - 2nd place (double scull with Luka Špik) - 2008: BeijingBeijingBeijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
(CHI) - 6th place (double scull with Luka Špik)
Junior World Championships:
- 1989: SzegedSzeged' is the third largest city of Hungary, the largest city and regional centre of the Southern Great Plain and the county town of Csongrád county. The University of Szeged is one of the most distinguished universities in Hungary....
(HUN) – 1st place (coxless pair) - 1990: AiguebeletteAiguebeletteAiguebelette may refer to:*Aiguebelette-le-Lac, commune in France*Lac d'Aiguebelette, lake in France...
(FRA) – 1st place (coxless pair)
World Championships:
- 1990: Lake BarringtonLake Barrington (Tasmania)Lake Barrington is an artificial lake in northern Tasmania, 40 km south of Devonport. It is 20 km long-Creation:It was built on the Forth River in 1969 to provide a head of water for the Devils Gate Power Station...
(AUS) – 7th place (coxless four) - 1991: ViennaViennaVienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
(AUT) – 2nd place (coxless pair) - 1993: RoudniceRoudniceRoudnice is a village in Hradec Králové Region in Eastern Bohemia, the Czech Republic. It is a birthplace of František Xaver Matějka , father of famous Polish painter Jan Matejko. In addition, the Olympic water polo player Kurt Epstein grew up in Roudnice....
(CZE) – 3rd place (coxless pair) - 1994: IndianapolisIndianapolisIndianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
(USA) – 3rd place (single scull) - 1995: TampereTampereTampere is a city in southern Finland. It is the most populous inland city in any of the Nordic countries. The city has a population of , growing to approximately 300,000 people in the conurbation and over 340,000 in the metropolitan area. Tampere is the third most-populous municipality in...
(FIN) – 1st place (single scull) - 1997: AiguebeletteAiguebeletteAiguebelette may refer to:*Aiguebelette-le-Lac, commune in France*Lac d'Aiguebelette, lake in France...
(FRA) – 4th place (single scull) - 1998: CologneCologneCologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
(GER) – 4th place (single scull) - 1999: St. Catharines (CAN) – 1st place (double scull)
- 2001: LucerneLucerneLucerne is a city in north-central Switzerland, in the German-speaking portion of that country. Lucerne is the capital of the Canton of Lucerne and the capital of the district of the same name. With a population of about 76,200 people, Lucerne is the most populous city in Central Switzerland, and...
(SUI) - 2nd place (single scull) - 2002: SevilleSevilleSeville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level...
(ESP) – 2nd place (single scull) - 2003: MilanMilanMilan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
(ITA) – 3rd place (single scull) - 2005: GifuGifu, Gifuis a city located in the south-central portion of Gifu Prefecture, Japan, and serves as the prefectural capital. The city has played an important role in Japan's history because of its location in the middle of the country. During the Sengoku period, various warlords, including Oda Nobunaga, used...
(JPN) – 1st place (double scull), 2nd place (quadruple scull) - 2006: EtonEton, BerkshireEton is a town and civil parish in Berkshire, England, lying on the opposite bank of the River Thames to Windsor and connected to it by Windsor Bridge. The parish also includes the large village of Eton Wick, 2 miles west of the town, and has a population of 4,980. Eton was in Buckinghamshire until...
(GBR) - 2nd place (double scull) - 2007: MunichMunichMunich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
(GER) - 1st place (double scull)
External links
- IztokCop.com - Official website (Slovene and EnglishEnglish languageEnglish is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
) - Sports-Reference Profile