Athletes from around the globe boldly profess their faith in Jesus during both victory and defeat.
Despite the International Olympic Committee charter barring athletes from displaying religious symbols of any kind, Rayssa Leal found a creative way to express her faith. Just before earning a bronze medal, the Brazilian skateboard prodigy smiled at the camera and signed, "Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life."
Leal, who went viral at age 7 for executing a perfect heelflip in a blue princess dress and catching the attention of legendary skateboarder Tony Hawk, has grown up attending a Baptist church. At 16, her faith remains strong, and her Instagram is filled with Scripture verses. After her win, she told the media that she signs Scripture at every competition, attributing her success to her faith: “Once again, thank God.”
It's been a century since Eric Liddell won Olympic gold without compromising his deep Christian convictions, particularly his stance on competing on the Lord’s Day. Today, young Christian Olympians like Leal are similarly bold in an increasingly secularized West. Many of these open believers competing at the Olympics come from non-Western countries, including Africa and Asia—the result of faithful gospel preaching by missionaries like Liddell, who gave up athletic glory to spread the gospel in China. Ironically, while China erected a monument in Liddell's honor, it wouldn't allow a known Chinese Christian to compete on the Olympic stage.
In African nations like Nigeria, where Christians face intense persecution, athletes like Rasheedat Ajibade offer a powerful witness. The young soccer star often posts on Instagram wearing T-shirts with messages like “Jesus Revealed, Jesus Glorified, Haleluya” and “Thank You Jesus,” with a reference to the prophet Isaiah. She writes, “Beyond my desires, beyond everything in and around my life, I JUST WANT TO SEE JESUS REVEALED AND GLORIFIED.”
Japanese soccer player Taishi Brandon Nozawa represents a culture with a small Christian community, yet his faith remains vibrant. Christians make up just 1.5 percent of Japan’s population, but Nozawa shares inspirational quotes on Instagram, like one from Charles Spurgeon urging Christians to be “walking Bibles.”
In post-Christian Europe, there are also seeds of hope, sometimes planted from the Global South. German shot-putter Yemisi Ogunleye, born to a German mother and a Nigerian father, freely shares her faith with German media, giving “all the glory” to Jesus for her recovery from two knee injuries. “Knowing that God has prepared a way that I can just walk makes me thankful,” she said after winning a silver medal at the World Athletics Championship in April.
In the United Kingdom, where Christianity faces challenges, young men like swimmer Adam Peaty are finding their way to faith. Peaty credits sports chaplain and Anglican theologian Ashley Null with guiding him during a dark period of substance abuse and depression. He now relies on his church community and attends services every Sunday to stay grounded.
Peaty is not alone in crediting his faith with helping him through mental health struggles. Caeleb Dressel of Team USA has spoken about battling "mental demons" under the intense pressure of training, eventually recommitting to his family's Christian faith and learning to "put all my trust in God." Canadian racewalker Olivia Lundman shares a similar story of overcoming severe anxiety and unanswered prayers by trusting in God's plan.
One of the most compelling testimonies this year is that of Brody Malone, one of the five gymnasts who secured a rare medal for the U.S. men's team. After a severe leg injury last spring that threatened his career and a series of personal losses, Malone persevered and earned a spot on the team, crediting God for his journey. As the team prepared for Paris, he posted a group picture with the Psalm caption: “Not to us, Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory because of your faithful love, because of your truth.” Although Malone made mistakes that disqualified him from an individual medal, he accepted the loss gracefully, embodying the humility and faith he had preached.
These young athletes represent the hope of a future where the gospel of Christ reaches every corner of the globe. While the world has changed in many ways since Eric Liddell's time, his legacy of Christian witness endures.