13 Christian Athletes Who Won Medals at the Tokyo Olympics
Christian athletes made a lot of headlines at the Tokyo Olympics, even in the secular media. More than any games in living memory, followers of Jesus took the opportunity to glorify God at their events, during interviews, and on social media.
Below is a brief profile of 13 elite sportspeople who made it to Tokyo, finished on the podium, and were unashamed in their Christian witness.
Janine Beckie
Representing Canada in women’s soccer, striker Janine Beckie is now an Olympic gold medallist. After a 1–1 draw, her team beat Sweden 3–2 in a penalty shootout. The team’s gold medal comes after two consecutive bronze performances at Rio in 2016 and the 2012 London Games.
(Australians might remember Janine from 2016 when she set a record by scoring a goal just 19 seconds into Canada’s 2-0 victory over the Matildas.)
Janine is vocal about her Christian faith. Her Instagram profile reads “Athlete. Jesus follower. Footballer.” In the lead-up to this year’s games she was featured in SportGoMag, where she shared how her faith in Christ has sustained her through the ups and downs of professional soccer.
“I believe a big role of every Christ-follower is to look as much like Jesus as we can,” Janine explains. “As I grow as a player and win more trophies … I want to show as much Jesus as I can to as many people as I can.” She also acknowledges that her abilities don’t come from herself. “I’m not responsible to do everything out of my own strength. I can find my strength in Jesus.”
Andre de Grasse
Gold for the men’s 200m sprint this year went to Andre de Grasse, who became the first Canadian to win the event in almost a century. Andre was also decorated with two bronze medals for the 100m and 4x100m relay events.
The 26-year-old, who grew up in a Christian household and attended Catholic schools, wears a silver cross during his races. He also sports several tattoos with Christian imagery, including one of the Lord’s Prayer on his forearm.
Following his medal-winning runs in Tokyo, Andre posted on Instagram thanking “everyone who’s joined me on this rollercoaster ride” including his coaching staff, sponsors, family and friends, Canada, “… and most importantly GOD.”
Tony Sharpe has been Andre’s coach since the beginning of his career. “It’s just God-given, man. It is a God-given gift that he was born with,” Sharpe says of the sprinter. “You knew that guy was going to be special.” Sharpe also speaks of a “certain character” that Andre possesses which animates his sport and makes him a “true role model” to other youth.
Caeleb Dressel
Many regard American swimmer Caeleb Dressel the best in the world, and for good reason: Caeleb won five gold medals this year and broke multiple world records, including his own. He took out the top position in the 50m and 100m Freestyle, the 100m Butterly, and also in two team events: the 100m Freestyle and the 4x100m Medley relay.
Caeleb grew up in a Christian home and began to take his faith more seriously while attending university. In an interview after the U.S. Nationals in 2015, Caeleb said that the reason he swims is “not just to get fast times, but to inspire people and show them where I find my happiness with what God’s given me.”
On his left shoulder is a tattoo of an eagle, a reminder of one of his favourite passages in Scripture, Isaiah 40:31. “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint,” the passage reads. Caeleb has also been known to share Bible verses on social media.
During high school, Caelab quit swimming, but his faith played an important part in his return to the sport. “Coming out of that, I started swimming again and really just put all my trust in God and knowing that He’s going to take care of everything for me, good or bad,” he told the Baptist Standard. “God gave me the talent, and I’m going to do that for Him, myself and my family and all my friends.”
Allyson Felix
At 35 years old and with nine previous Olympic medals to her name, Allyson Felix knew that Tokyo would be her last hurrah. The American sprinter made the most of the opportunity, this year adding two more medals to her tally, ranking her above Carl Lewis to become the most decorated Olympian in the history of track and field. Allyson takes home a bronze medal for the 400m sprint and was also part of the USA women’s 4x400m gold medal performance.
Allyson is the daughter of a seminary professor and is an outspoken Christian. Sharing her story with Athletes in Action in 2012, she explained, “I came to know Jesus Christ as my personal Saviour at a very young age. Ever since then, I have continually been striving to grow in my relationship with God.”
Allyson overcame many challenges to make it to Japan, including an emergency C-section while giving birth to her daughter Camryn in 2018, and a long post-pregnancy recovery. “Tomorrow, I step into the Olympic Stadium to compete in my 5th Olympic Games,” she posted to Instagram last week. “It might sound cliche, but getting to that starting line is an incredible victory for me. I’ve experienced the hardest years of my life in this journey and by God’s grace I’m here.”
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce
Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is widely regarded as one of the greatest sprinters of all time. Winning silver in Tokyo for the 100m, and gold with her teammates in the 4x100m relay, Shelly-Ann now has eight Olympic medals to her name, making her the most successful 100m runner in Olympic history.
She is also a Christian. Shelly-Ann is known to often recite a Bible verse on the starting blocks before a race begins. Christianity Today reports that she “has used sports as a ministry and developed a large social media following based on both her prowess on the track and her consistently positive, Gospel-informed message.”
“Just to be able to stand on the line and know I am a child of God makes me special,” she said during an interview before the Tokyo Games:
I hope that by me running He’ll get the glory, and He’ll enjoy it as much as I am enjoying it. When I run, the first thing I say [to God] is. “I hope you are pleased with my worship” for running is my worship — my way of worshipping Him because He has given me the talents.
On social media this week, Shelly-Ann quoted a well-known Christian hymn to thank God for her success in Japan. “To God be the Glory!! What great things He has done.”
Vincent Hancock
The first skeet shooter to repeat as the Olympic champion is Vincent Hancock of the United States. He won gold in Beijing in 2008, a second time at the 2012 London Games, and once more this year in Tokyo. Vincent is one of the most decorated shooters in the sport’s history, having collected 29 medals from various world competitions.
Vincent had always thought of himself as a Christian, but in hindsight he admits “I was anything but.” He hit a low point in 2011 when his performance in the sport took a dive, affecting his marriage and his whole outlook on life. “I was focussed on the gold and that was my only thought process,” he admits in an interview with CBN News. “I was frustrated at God,” Vincent recounts.
Since they met, his wife Rebekah has been a committed Christian and had long encouraged Vincent to give his life fully over to God. Finally, he did. “I just prayed for hours that night and cried for hours,” Vincent explains. “God started opening up my eyes and showing me the things that I had done wrong.”
Vincent now has a clear picture of where God has brought him. “At the beginning of my career, I trusted only in myself,” he says. “Now I know what faith truly is… I trust in [God], I believe in Him, I love Him.” In the past he took the credit for his own achievements, but now knows they are the result of God’s grace. “Humbled and thankful for another dream come true… Thank you God for letting me do what I love,” he posted on Instagram at the conclusion of this year’s Olympics.
Keni Harrison
The undefeated world record holder for the women’s 100m hurdles is America’s Keni Harrison, at 12.20 seconds. Though she didn’t beat this time in Tokyo, she did take home the silver medal for the event.
The first thing you will read about Keni when you visit her Twitter and Instagram accounts is “I love Jesus”. Keni was adopted as a baby and has ten siblings, eight of whom were also adopted by her parents, including from Bolivia and South Korea.
Like so many athletes, Keni’s journey has been a winding one. She went into the hurdle trials for the 2016 Rio Olympics as the favourite but finished in sixth place, failing to qualify. “I allowed self-doubt to determine my destiny and became a victim to track and field press,” Keni has since said of this experience.
But she interrupts her recount of this challenging time with the words “BUT GOD”. “I gained a deeper connection to God each year I noticed my faith conquering ALL doubt.” Keni now says that “missing the Olympic team in 2016 has made me a stronger Christian athlete.” Following her success in Japan, she acknowledged God in a social media post, writing, “Thank You Lord for this gift and I will always glorify You with it.”
Jrue Holiday
NBA star Jrue Holiday has had a whirlwind couple of months. In July, his team the Milwaukee Bucks took out the NBA Championship, and this month he helped lead the US national men’s team to its fourth consecutive gold medal at the Olympics. All this after contracting Covid-19 and recovering from it earlier in the year.
The basketball star has consistently put God first in his life since his days playing for UCLA. He is one of the best-known Christians in the NBA, and is one of four Holiday brothers in the league, all of whom are believers. Given the microphone after the Bucks’ NBA win, Jrue gave God the spotlight. “This is such a blessing, man,” he told the cheering crowd. “This is only God.”
Faithwire reports that “Holiday has been outspoken about his Christian faith during his college and pro career and how it has carried him through the ups and downs in life.” One such challenge was when his wife Lauren was diagnosed with a benign brain tumour while pregnant with their first child. He took indefinite leave from professional basketball to look after her, but Jrue never wavered in his faith. “There is nothing in life my wife can’t conquer with Jesus Christ in her corner,” he said at the time.
In an interview with a pastor from California last year, Jrue summed up the importance of his relationship with God by saying, “Making Christ a priority is huge because, without Him, I wouldn’t be here. None of us would.”
James Kirani
James Kirani is the first and only athlete from the Caribbean nation of Grenada to win an Olympic medal. The 400m sprinter has gold, silver and now bronze medals to his name after the London, Rio and Tokyo Games respectively.
“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,” James has said of his running career. Elaborating on how his faith in God underpins his sport, he shares,
I’m doing it for God because He’s the one that needs to get all the glory. Regardless of the race, His love for me doesn’t change and that’s a huge part of helping me stay calm and compete without worrying about other things.
Sometimes you falter or you go through phases where you’re not as focused as you should be. But having people around me really helps. Back in Alabama, I always do a weekly Bible study with one of my colleagues, and that helps me stay on track and consistent in my faith.
Katie Ledecky
Considered by many to be the greatest female swimmer of all time, Katie Ledecky outdid herself in Tokyo this year. She won gold in the 800m and 1500m Freestyle events, and silver for both the 400m Freestyle and the 4x200m Freestyle relay. Throughout her career, Katie has broken 14 world records — still holding seven of them — and has won 38 medals in major international swimming events.
Katie is a devout Catholic who says her faith in God helps her to “put things in perspective”. Speaking with Catholic Standard in 2016, she remarked, “My Catholic faith is very important to me. It always has been and it always will be. It is part of who I am and I feel comfortable practicing my faith.” Katie also shared that she says “a prayer or two before any race”.
She credits her Catholic schooling with her “interest in the world and in serving others”. Katie explains that a Christian education “enriched my life so that it is not solely focused on my swimming and athletics”. She has a particular heart for refugees and has put her faith into action by working closely with Jesuit Refugee Service to advocate for displaced people.
Helen Maroulis
In 2016 at Rio, Helen Maroulis became the first-ever American to win Olympic gold in women’s freestyle wrestling. This year she added another medal to her tally, beating her Mongolian opponent 11–0 to win bronze in the 57kg category.
Helen became a believer in 2010 when one of her coaches invited her to church. She had planned to sleep through the service but ended up going and hearing a sermon about God’s love that “totally rocked [her] world”. Helen has since been vocal about her faith in interviews and on social media. Following the Tokyo Games, she took to Instagram quoting the words of Jesus. “‘Anything is possible to him who believes’ (Mark 9:23),” she wrote, adding, “Never lose faith, never give up.”
Beginning in 2015, Helen suffered two serious concussions that led to a PTSD diagnosis and her decision to retire. But something didn’t sit right about this and she felt God leading her back to the sport. “I just kind of felt like He revealed to me that if wrestling is where your pain and trauma happened and you run away from it for the rest of your life, you’re not ever going to heal from it,” she said during an interview with Sports Spectrum.
After her gold medal win in Rio, Helen described her reaction: “God, me, really? Little old Helen? … Wow, normal people really do win gold medals!” Even through these mountaintop experiences, she has made sure her identity is in Christ, affirming that “I really was enough before and I really am enough now.”
Grace McCallum
At just 18 years of age, gymnast Grace McCallum became an Olympic medallist this year, winning silver in the team event for the United States. She has also helped the American team achieve gold at the World Championships in 2018 and 2019, and has collected many other awards since she began gymnastics at age five.
Grace is from a believing Catholic family that attends Mass regularly and believes that prayer is one of the most important ways they can support her. “That’s one of those areas that we say, ‘Keep her in focus, keep praying,’” her mother Sandy said during an interview with Central Minnesota Catholic. “Because it really does make a difference.”
This is a conviction that Grace shares. “Whenever I have a rough day, in the gym or competition, I just know God gave me this talent,” Grace told the magazine. “I need to use it and not waste it.”
Nicola McDermott
Australian high jumper Nicola McDermott cleared 2.02m in Tokyo to set the Oceania record and take home the silver medal. “Jumping with the peace that you are loved can take you to heights you have never seen before,” she posted on Twitter after the event.
But it was Nicola’s post-event interview that has since gone viral. “My hope is that the stadiums will be filled again in a post-Covid world,” she said:
Not even just for athletic performances, but we’ll see revivals again in the stadiums, and that people would hear a message of faith and a Gospel that would really inspire like they did in Billy Graham’s [time] decades ago.
Intrigued by these words, the interviewer asked Nicola when faith became such a significant part of her life. “As a teenager I was always an outcast,” she began, “and I got welcomed into a faith community that loved me.”
Nicola went on to explain how “encountering God’s love… changed the way that I thought of myself,” no longer as a misfit, but as someone created to use her height “with passion and purpose”. But 2017 was when her life really began to change:
I just decided to pursue God over sport, and whatever comes with sport is a bonus but I’m already complete and perfect and loved regardless of it. And that’s just allowed me to soar over every high jump bar and not be scared anymore because I’m loved and that’s the most important thing.
Read about 13 more Christian athletes who won medals at the Tokyo Olympics.
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Thank you Kurt – I had been so hoping someone would list the Christian Olympians and you have excelled in these thumbnail sketches of achievers with faith.
Next article – those Olympians who are Christians but Didnt win medals – their perpetual fives.
And please do the same for the paraOlympics
Excellent article.
Auto correct! Grr. I should have reread. Not ‘ perpetual fives’ but ‘ perspectives’
There were a number of other athletes especially among the Australians that should also be listed here would be good to have not just Nicole listed here
Inspirational reporting Kurt!
You are missing Greysia Polii. She’s a faithful Christian. She won the women’s double Olympic gold (badminton) which is a historical win for Indonesia.
Thank you. You missed the athletes from the Philippines though who won medals. Particularly Hidylin Diaz who won ???? in weight lifting. A devout Catholic. First Olympic gold for the Philippines ever.
Powerful and Inspiring Kurt.
Rejoicing to see Lord Jesus being declared and His great love.
Love the Hope Stories link at the end of Nicola McDermott’s bold and beautiful interview.
Thank you. Your post are excellent, always.
Fiji 7s Team?
Who could forget them
Thankyou for that. I was inspired my the whole Paralympics. I knew Gods people were there. Thankyou for bringing these precious warriors to our attention.
I loved the graciousness beauty Nicola McDermotts faith portrayed.