Faith and sports, though coming from different spectrums, often intersect in many ways. These 14 US Olympic athletes prove that their faith played a significant part in achieving excellence in their respective sports and are not afraid to show it. It’s surprising and inspiring how these athletes openly share their Christian faith and how it influences their careers.
Simone Biles
One cannot talk about the Olympics without mentioning gymnastics legend Simone Biles. At the tender age of 27, Biles has already cemented herself into the gymnastics hall of fame, winning a legendary ten Olympic medals and 30 World Championship medals. She is, without a doubt, the most decorated gymnast in history.
Raised in a faith-filled household, Biles is a devout Catholic. It’s no secret that she has leaned on her faith throughout her challenging early life and troubling times in her career. Biles refers to her gymnastic skills as a ‘God-given talent’ and frequently talks about the importance of faith in her life and how it helps her prepare for her sport.
Brody Malone
“Not to us, Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory because of your faithful love, because of your truth.” – Psalms 115:1.
This is what gymnast and two-time Olympian Brody Malone openly shared on his Instagram right after qualifying for the Olympics this year. We have learned about Malone’s devastating knee injury last year, which almost threatened to stop his gymnastics career. He had to undergo physical therapy to be able to walk again. Despite that, Malone ended America’s 16-year drought and was able to bag an Olympic bronze medal in men’s gymnastics. When asked about his preparations, he is quick to praise God and always emphasizes how he gives all the glory to Him.
Anna Hall
Having been raised in a Christian home and graduating from a Christian school, Hall is never shy or afraid to broadcast her faith. Her Instagram bio reads, “follower of Christ.”
She also suffered from a broken foot three years ago and had to undergo knee surgery earlier this year. Despite the physical challenges, Hall qualified for this year’s Paris Olympics.
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone
McLaughlin-Levrone, a two-time gold medalist already in her third Olympics, is not just a track athlete but also an inspiring author. She wrote the book Far Beyond Gold: Running from Fear to Faith. In it, she shares her personal testimony about how her faith helped her overcome anxiety and deepened her relationship with God, leading to her winning gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Kelly Cheng
Cheng showed resilience as she became a victim of social media trolls who targeted her over everything, including her religion. However, her faith remains steadfast, especially after qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics with her teammate Sarah Hughes. In one of her interviews, she shared how she and Sarah would often talk about their faith and how passionate they are about glorifying Him.
Allyson Felix
Although Felix is not competing in this year’s Paris Olympics, her first time in 24 years, she still supports the younger athletes and continues to inspire them with her testament to God’s faithfulness and grace. Her unique pregnancy story and rift with ex-sponsor Nike highlighted her resilience and advocacy for maternal rights, shedding light on the challenges female athletes face. As a devout Christian, Felix always points out that her faith helped her during the most difficult time of her life.
Hunter Armstrong
Olympic swimmer Armstrong has experienced incredible spiritual growth after a series of painful events in the past year. He credits his teammates for guiding him back to his faith, providing the support and encouragement he needed to rediscover his spiritual path. Armstrong won gold in the 2024 Paris Olympics this year while championing his ‘God first’ commitment.
Caeleb Dressel
Dressel is swimming again in his third Olympics after winning five times in Tokyo. He has an eagle tattoo on his left shoulder, which symbolizes his favorite Bible verse, Isaiah 40:31: “But those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles.”
Micah Christenson
Christenson, better known as the “Man of Steel,” is a volleyball setter leading the American team in the 2024 Paris Olympics. He takes pride in being a Christian, saying that his Christian faith influences his approach to the game and his interactions with teammates.
Tamyra Mensah-Stock
Mensah-Stock made history by becoming the first black woman to win an Olympic gold medal in women’s freestyle wrestling. She attributes her success to God and often discusses how her beliefs help her stay grounded and motivated.
Athing Mu
Mu set a record by winning America’s first 800-meter gold medal in 53 years. She has always been outspoken about her beliefs and Christianity. Shortly after winning the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Mu tweeted, “God definitely took the battle for this one!”
Helen Maroulis
Maroulis, a US wrestler who was forced to retire from professional wrestling in 2019 due to traumatic brain injury, thought that her life and career were over. However, after hearing God’s calling and months of healing and training, she qualified for the Tokyo Olympics. She eventually came home with a bronze medal. Maroulis considered her victory a powerful testimony that God can do the impossible if we put our faith in Him.
Kendra Harrison
Harrison is a US hurdler who won the silver medal during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. In her tweet following her victory, Harrison described herself as ‘a walking testimony of how incredible God truly is.’
Kyle Snyder
“When you go to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army greater than yours, do not be afraid of them, because the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt, will be with you.” – Deuteronomy 20:1
Snyder listed this in his Twitter/X bio. Snyder is a US wrestler who brought home the silver medal in the men’s 97-kilogram final during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. This year, Snyder is competing again in the Paris Olympics and was even quoted saying, “I wouldn’t be surprised if we won six gold medals” at the USA Wrestling press conference ahead of competition.
Impact of Faith on Athletic Performance
These 14 featured athletes share common themes of faith, perseverance, and resilience. Their Christian faith provided them with strength, hope, and motivation, which greatly influenced their performance. It is through their faith that they have found their purpose and grounding, which are essential to excelling in any competition.
The Power of Believing
The stories of these US Olympic athletes demonstrate the significant impact of faith on a person’s life and career. Through their experiences, we can see how faith can motivate and sustain individuals as they seek to achieve greatness in their sports. These athletes’ lives remind us of the power of belief and the ability of faith to transform both personal and professional aspirations.
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Vidivir is a dedicated high school teacher and a loving mother of three. With over a decade of experience as a blogger and article writer, she has honed her craft in storytelling. As a devoted church lector and servant of God, she combines her passion for writing with her faith, aiming to inspire others through her words.
Love this article 🥹 Ma’am V, was my class advisor when I’m at 7th grade.🤍 She’s a very good person and humble teacher I know . Her passion to write an article helps us to have more Faith in God like what she wrote of this story. We people still doubting in ourselves if God truly working on our lives, but based on my experience in life, through faith I testify that our God is truly alive and He is with us every single day, despite of my circumstances I always pray that I will overcome it one day cause I believe all the battles I face, I have God who will win the victory for me. With Jesus Christ in life, your life will be peaceful and miraculous because of God’s grace.🙏 Keep writing ma’am V! Great Job for this wonderful article, a truly inspiring stories 😊