Denis Loktev

Denis Loktev (; born 6 April 2000) is an Israeli Olympic swimmer. He won a bronze medal at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in the men's 200m freestyle, as well as the 2018 European Junior Swimming Championship in the men's freestyle. He competed at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics for Israel in the 200m freestyle, and represented Israel at the 2024 Paris Olympics in the 200 metre freestyle, 4×100 metre freestyle relay, and 4×200 metre freestyle relay.

Early and personal life Loktev was born in Ashdod, Israel where he continued to reside. On 7 October 2023, in the 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel, his family in Ashdod was hit by rocket barrages from Gaza in the 7 October attacks.

Swimming career Loktev started swimming when he was six years old, in the Maccabi Ashdod Association, swimming twice a week, and began swimming daily by the age of seven. He has competed in the 100m freestyle, 100m medley, 200m free, 400m free, free, free mixed, free, free, and 4x50m free. He trained at the Wingate Institute in Netanya, Israel, and his primary club in Israel has been the Maccabi Ashdod.

2016–20 International competition highlights

In July 2016, Loktev won a bronze medal at the 2016 European Junior Swimming Championships in Hódmezővásárhely, Hungary, in the men's freestyle.

In July 2018, he won a gold medal at the 2018 European Junior Swimming Championships in Helsinki, Finland, in the men's freestyle, and a silver medal in the 200m freestyle with a 1:47.95. In October 2018 Loktev won a bronze medal at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in the men's 200m freestyle.

In March 2019, Loktev won the 400m freestyle with a 3:52.40 and the 200 Longcourse freestyle with a 1:48.67 at the 2019 Fédération Française de Natation Golden Tour Camille Muffat in Marseille, France. In April 2019, he set a new Israeli national record in the 400m free with a 3:51.45 at the Stockholm Open. The same month he won a silver medal at the Israel Cup in the 200m free, with a 1:48.47. In May 2019 at the 2019 Speedo Grand Challenge in Irvine, California, he won a silver medal in the 400m free super-final, at 3:54.50, and a bronze medal in the 200 L Fly, in a time of 2:03.75. In July 2019 he competed in the men's 400 metre freestyle at the 2019 World Aquatics Championships. In December 2019 at Swim Cup Amsterdam in the Netherlands, he won a silver medal in the 200 L Free in a time of 1:48.64, and a bronze medal in the 400 L Free in a time of 3:53.56. His time was 1:47.68, as he missed making the semi-finals by 1.42 seconds. At the championships he also won a gold medal in the 200m butterfly with a time of 2:00.55, and a silver medal in the 100m freestyle in a new personal best time of 48.54 seconds.

2022 European Championships, 2023 NCAA Championships As a Louisville sophomore, at the 2023 NCAA Championships in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Loktev swam the second leg of the 800 Free Relay, splitting 1:33.07 as the team swam a 6:12.25. At the ACC Championships, he won a silver medal as part of the 800 Free Relay team with a 6:11.26—the third-fastest time in school history.

As of June 2024 his long course personal best in the 100m free was 48.54 in October 2023, and in the 200m free was 1:46.17 in September 2023.

2024 Paris Olympics Loktev represented Israel at the 2024 Paris Olympics in the 200 metre freestyle, 4×100 metre freestyle relay, and 4×200 metre freestyle relay. He said that in the wake of the 7 October attacks: "We must do everything so that in the summer we can represent the country in the best possible way on the biggest stage in the world, the Olympic Games in Paris, and this is what gives me the motivation to train with all my might every day."