1. Overview
Barthélémy Ikechi Ross Chinenyeze (born 28 February 1998) is a French professional volleyball player who primarily plays as a middle blocker. He is a key member of the France national team and currently plays for the Italian club Cucine Lube Civitanova. Chinenyeze has achieved significant success in his career, notably winning gold medals with the French national team at both the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics and the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, solidifying his status as a prominent figure in international volleyball. His contributions extend to club competitions where he has also secured multiple domestic and international honors.
2. Personal Life
Barthélémy Chinenyeze was born on 28 February 1998, in Coudekerque-Branche, France. He comes from a multicultural background, with his father being a Nigerian of the Igbo ethnicity and his mother being French. This dual heritage contributes to his identity. Chinenyeze stands at a height of 6.7 ft (2.04 m) and weighs 176 lb (80 kg). His impressive physical attributes are well-suited for his role as a middle blocker, with a spike reach of 148 in (375 cm) and a block reach of 136 in (345 cm).
3. Career
Barthélémy Chinenyeze embarked on his professional volleyball career in 2016. His journey has seen him play for several notable clubs across France, Poland, and Italy, steadily rising through the ranks. Concurrently, he became an integral part of the France men's national volleyball team, making his debut in 2017 and contributing to numerous international achievements.
3.1. Club Career
Chinenyeze's club career began in France with Spacer's de Toulouse, where he played from 2016 to 2018. In March 2018, he made a significant move to the Polish club Asseco Resovia. After a short tenure in Poland, he returned to France to play for Tours VB during the 2018-2019 season. His career then took him to Italy, where he spent two seasons with Volley Callipo from 2019 to 2021. Following this, he joined Allianz Milano for the 2021-2022 season. Since 2022, Chinenyeze has been playing for the prestigious Italian club Cucine Lube Civitanova.
3.2. National Team Career
Chinenyeze began his national team career with the France national team in 2017. In his debut year, he participated in the 2017 European Championship and the 2017 World Grand Champions Cup. He was a key member of the squad that won a gold medal at the 2017 FIVB World League held in Curitiba. He continued to represent France in major tournaments, including the 2018 FIVB World Championship.
Chinenyeze's contributions also include appearances in the FIVB Volleyball Men's Nations League, participating in the 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2022 editions. He also played in the European Championship again in 2019 and 2021. A pinnacle of his national team career came at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, where he played a pivotal role in France's historic gold medal victory. He further cemented his Olympic legacy by winning a second consecutive gold medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
4. Honours
Barthélémy Chinenyeze has amassed a significant collection of honours throughout his professional volleyball career, both with his clubs and the French national team, in addition to receiving individual accolades and state recognition.
4.1. Club
- Domestic
- 2018-19 French Cup, with Tours VB
- 2018-19 French Championship, with Tours VB
- 2022-23 Italian Championship, with Cucine Lube Civitanova (Silver Medal)
4.2. National Team
- Olympic Games
- 2020 Tokyo: Gold Medal
- 2024 Paris: Gold Medal
- FIVB World League
- 2017 Curitiba: Gold Medal
- FIVB Nations League
- 2022 Bologna: Gold Medal
- 2018 Lille: Silver Medal
- 2021 Rimini: Bronze Medal
4.3. Individual
- 2018: French Championship - Best middle blocker
- 2019: French Championship - Most valuable player
- 2019: French Championship - Best middle blocker
- 2021: Olympic Games - Best middle blocker (2020 Tokyo)
4.4. State
- 2021: Knight of the Legion of Honour (France's highest order of merit)