Menachem Chen
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Menachem Mendel Chen |
| Nationality | Israeli |
| Born | 1 November 2000[1] |
| Sport | |
| Country | Israel |
| Sport | Discus Throw, Shot Put, Bobsleigh |
Event(s) | Two-man, Four-man (bobsleigh) |
Menachem Mendel Chen (Hebrew: מנחם מענדל חן; born 1 November 2000) is an Israeli athlete and bobsledder. In athletics, Chen has been the Israeli national shot put champion on four occasions.[2] In bobsleigh, Chen represented Israel at the 2026 Winter Olympics in two-man and four-man.[3]
Career
Athletics
Chen's sporting career began with track and field. Chen specializes in throwing events, particularly shot put and discus throw. He has on four occasions been the Israeli national shot put champion.[2] In 2023, Chen came the to the United States and joined the track and field team at Arkansas State University. In 2025, Chen won the discus throw event and placed third in the shot put event at the Sun Belt Conference outdoor track and field championships.[4] In 2026, less than a week after competing in the Olympics, Chen finished second in shot put at the Sun Belt Conference indoor championships.[5]
Bobsleigh
Chen made his bobsleigh debut in 2021 as a pusher, but did not compete again for several years.[1] In 2025, he was recruited by Adam Edelman to return to bobsleigh with a goal of reaching the 2026 Winter Olympics. The team finished fifth in the IBSF North American Cup, successfully qualifying for the games and becoming the first Israeli bobsleigh team at the Olympics.[6] Chen pushed for Edelman's team in both two-man and four-man. In two-man, the team finished 26th.[3] In four man, the team completed their first two runs, but were forced to withdraw by the Israeli Olympic Committee after another team member lied about medical status in an attempt to facilitate an illegal substitution to the reserve team member.[7]
Personal life
Chen is a resident of Rishon LeZion, Israel.[8]
Bobsleigh results
Olympic Games
| Event | Two-man | Four-man |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Milano Cortina | 26th | DNF |
References
- ^ a b "Menachem Chen". IBSF. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
- ^ a b "Menachem Mendel CHEN". worldathletic.org. World Athletics. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
- ^ a b "Menachem CHEN". Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
- ^ "2025-26 Track & Field Roster: Menachem Chen". astateredwolves.com. Arkansas State University Athletics. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
- ^ "Menachem Chen sets a new personal best". jgsm.org.il. Grand Slam Jerusalem. 26 February 2026. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
- ^ "In first, Israel's bobsled team will compete in the Winter Olympics". ynetnews.com. Y Net Global. 22 January 2026. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
- ^ Koren, Yotam (22 February 2026). "נבחרת המזחלות סולקה מהאולימפיאדה לאחר שאחד מחבריה שיקר בתצהיר רפואי" [The bobsligh team was expelled from the Olympics after one of its members lied in a medical affidavit]. Haaretz (in Hebrew). Retrieved 5 March 2026.
- ^ "Arkansas State's Chen to Make Historic Debut on Winter Olympic Stage". astateredwolves.com. Arkansas State University Athletics. 5 February 2026. Retrieved 5 March 2026.