By Jack Borok
The 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics have come and gone, and there are many talented Jewish and Israeli stars who shined bright at this year’s games.
Israel sent nine athletes to this year’s Olympic games competing in five different sports. Two athletes, skeleton racer Jared “Jewish Jet” Firestone and figure skater Mariia Seniuk, were honored as flag-bearers at the Opening Ceremony.
Jared Firestone, credit: The Times of Israel
Firestone became the first Israeli to ever win a gold medal in a skeleton race in 2022, and became the first ever Israeli finalist at the International Bobsled & Skeleton Federation (IBSF) World Championships in 2025. Firestone competed in skeleton in Milan, proudly displaying a large magen david on his helmet.
Mariia Seniuk, credit: The Jerusalem Post
The other flag-bearer, Mariia Seniuk, has won the last four consecutive Israeli Figure Skating National Championships. At just 20 years old, she competed in her first Olympic Games in 2026 and made it to the free-skating final.
Edelman, Chen, Farwarsy, and Katz with alternate Uri Zisman and coach Itamar Shprinz, credit: The Times of Israel
Four of these athletes, A.J. Edelman, Menachem Chen, Ward Farwarsy, and Omer Katz, make up Israel’s historic first-ever bobsledding team. Edelman, the team captain, competed for Israel in the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympic Games, where he became the first ever Orthodox Jew to compete in the Winter Olympics. All three of Chen (discus throwing), Farwarsy (rugby), and Katz (sprinter) are former professional athletes in other sports. Farwarsy made history as Israel’s first-ever Druze Olympic athlete. The bobsled team fought through great adversity, including the robbery of their apartment in Cortina d’Ampezzo while training for the Olympics, but have persevered and made Israeli history by competing in both the four-man and two-man bobsled events.
Barnabás and Noa Szőllős, credit: Haaretz
Joining them in the Israeli delegation are the sibling alpine skiing duo of Barnabás and Noa Szőllős and cross-country skier Attila Mihály Kertész. Barnabás Szőllős competed as an alpine skier for team Israel in the 2022 Beijing Olympics, and was the only male alpine skier in the competition to finish all individual disciplines inside the top 30. His sister, Noa Szőllős, also competed for team Israel in the 2022 Beijing Olympics. Just a few weeks ago, Noa made history by scoring Israel’s first-ever World Cup points in alpine skiing.
Attila Mihály Kertész, credit: Kveller
Attila Mihály Kertész is a first time Olympian at the age of 37. He also made Israeli history as the first Israeli competitor in cross-country skiing. Despite finishing second-to-last, he is an inspiration, showing that it is never too late to achieve your goals.
Jack and Quinn Hughes, credit: The Score
Jeremy Swayman, credit: Webcenter Fairbanks
There are also many outstanding Jewish athletes who competed for other countries at this year’s Olympics, most notably for the United States. This group is headlined by superstar brothers Jack and Quinn Hughes, who both suited up for the United States’ men’s hockey team alongside Jewish goaltender Jeremy Swayman. Quinn Hughes notably scored the game-winning goal in overtime of the United States’ quarterfinal victory over Sweden. His brother, Jack Hughes, one-upped him by scoring the game-winning “golden goal” in overtime against team Canada to win the gold medal for the United States. The Hughes brothers and Swayman will return to their respective NHL teams as proud Olympic gold medalists.
Aerin Frankel, credit: Team USA
Also competing for the United States was star Jewish women’s hockey goalie Aerin Frankel, who helped the U.S. win the gold medal in Milan, continuing the United States’ streak of earning a medal in women’s hockey in every Winter Olympic Games since the tournament’s inception in 1998.
Emery Lehman, credit: The Times of Israel
Another Jewish-American olympian is speed skater Emery Lehman, a four time Olympian who won a bronze medal in the Beijing Olympics in 2022. In Milan, Lehman won a silver medal in the team pursuit in what he says will be his final Olympic Games.
Kayle Osborne, credit: Hockey Canada
Jacquie Pierri, credit: TNT Sports
Beyond the United States, Canadian women’s hockey goaltender Kayle Osborne helped bring her country a silver medal. In addition, Jacquie Pierri competed in women’s hockey for the host nation of Italy and helped the Italians win their first ever olympic game in women’s hockey.
Mazel Tov to all of the incredible Jewish and Israeli athletes who competed this year in Milan and thank you for being a source of pride for Jews around the world.
