Here’s what 8 top Olympians have said about their Christian faith
1. Kyle Snyder
Wrestling (2016 Olympic champion)
USA
“[God’s] given me His Spirit who lives inside me so I can live this way. Any accolades I acquire in this life are meaningless, but the growth I experience spiritually is what means the most”
2. Nick Willis
1500m (2016 Olympic bronze medallist and 2008 Olympic silver medallist)
New Zealand
“Before I embraced my understanding of God and actually formed a relationship with him, my whole motivation for becoming a great athlete was to be significant to my peers. Once I understood who I was in God, how he created me to love me for who I am and not for what I do, that freed me from a lot of those empty, non-sustaining motives for doing my sport”
3. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce
Athletics 100m (2008 and 2012 Olympic champion) and 4x100m
Jamaica
“Just to be able to stand on the start-line and know I am a child of God makes me feel special”
4. Faith Kipyegon
Athletics 1500m (2016 Olympic champion)
Kenya
“I am always going to church. That is important in my life”
5. Keni Harrison
Athletics, 100m hurdles (2019 world champion)
USA
“Without this gift that God has given me I wouldn’t be where I am now. Having my faith has enabled me to get up so many times when I’ve fallen in the sport”
6. Cindy Sember
Athletics 100m hurdles (4th, 2016 Olympics)
Great Britain
“It has impacted my athletics career so much; just having my faith and knowing that God truly is the one who protects you and watches over you through each race”
7. Kirani James
Athletics, 400m (2012 Olympic champion)
Grenada
“God has blessed me by giving me the ability to do something that I love and to have this platform to show how great he is”
8. Steven Gardiner
Athletics, 400m (2019 world champion)
Bahamas
“I thank God every day for all the blessings I have received”
