‘If I go back to Russia I’ll be arrested because my family are political opponent.’
IMAGE: Michel Arkhangelskiy won the 50-metre butterfly gold on Thursday at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre in a time of 22.91 seconds, matching exactly his Asian record set in France in June. Photograph: Manami Yamada/Reuters
Key Points
Michel Arkhangelskiy, son of Russian political refugees, won the 50-metre butterfly gold at the Asian Games representing Bahrain.
He secured Bahrain’s first-ever Asian Games swimming title, matching his Asian record of 22.91 seconds.
Arkhangelskiy stated he would face arrest if he returned to Russia due to his family’s political opposition.
Despite living in France for 16 years, he could not represent the country as a non-citizen.
A son of political refugees who fled Russia for France, swimmer Michel Arkhangelskiy, travelled a long road to finally clinch his first major title at the Asian Games under the flag of Bahrain.
The 21-year-old won the 50-metre butterfly gold on Thursday at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre in a time of 22.91 seconds, matching exactly his Asian record set in France in June.
Overcoming Political Hurdles
IMAGE: Michel Arkhangelskiy’s father was born in Kazakhstan while his mother grew up in an Asian part of Russia. Photograph: Manami Yamada/Reuters
Bahrain was never Arkhangelskiy’s first choice as a nation to represent in his sport, but neither was Russia.
“If I go back to Russia I’ll be arrested because my family are political opponents,” said Arkhangelskiy, now a college swimmer for University of California, Berkeley.
As a non-citizen, France was also not an option despite living in the country for some 16 years.
“I was waiting for a long time and at one point I was just disappointed,” he said. “I was pissed off about all this, all the politics, because you know it’s quite difficult to be the son of a political refugee.”
A New Home in Bahrain
Bahrain, however, welcomed him with open arms as it has for plenty of top athletes born overseas.
Choosing the Gulf nation is not such a surprise, said the swimmer, whose father was born in Kazakhstan while his mother grew up in an Asian part of Russia.
It’s been win-win for country and athlete, with Bahrain providing a high level of support and Arkhangelskiy winning the country its first Asian Games swimming title.
Investment in Swimming Success
Arkhangelskiy declined to provide details on the nature of his sponsorship from Bahrain but said he liked how the country was invested in swimming.
“I have all the best conditions to swim for … everything is covered so I’m in the best condition to perform – as you see with the Asian Games gold medal,” he said.