Though there was much about the Olympics in Paris that broke the Father’s heart, His witness went forth through the many Christian athletes.

While I was in Le Villette — Parc des Nations (Nations Park) — in Paris, I felt prompted to pray for some of the Christian athletes in front of their national houses:

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Hurdler Breaks World Record, Giving All Glory to God

I prayed for Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone in the video above. She astonished the world by breaking the world record in women’s 400m hurdles (she made it look easy!). At the press conference following her astonishing run, an NPR reporter asked her about her faith. Her response has gone viral, for good reason. Her description of the role of faith and Jesus in her life is a model for every believer.

Gold Medal Shot Put Winner Stuns with Praise to Jesus

Yemisi Ogunleye of Germany slipped and fell during her first shot put throw on the wet ground. She went back to her seat and sang a beautiful praise song to her self. She was asked about in a press conference and she sang the whole song here. You will not regret watching this video.

Ogunleye’s second attempt was a personal best for an indoor throw. Then, it was neck and neck with New Zealand’s Maddison-Lee Wesche. Both women threw personal bests, but Ogunleye was further at 20.oom, which was her goal. After she threw, she dropped to her knees in prayer when she saw the distance she had achieved.

God Calls Missionary to Olympics

In the video I mentioned Olympic rower, Emily Froehlich. She sensed the Lord calling her to lay down athletics and become a missionary. She turned down a spot on the U.S. national team to do so. But while she was serving the Lord in the Middle East she had a vision. She said: “In the vision He showed how there’s no other event where the nations come like the Olympics.”

Froehlich said she knew from the vision that “He wants to be glorified at this event. He’s looking for people to go to the Olympics and represent Jesus instead of their country. I said, ‘Yes, God! Pick me!’” When she sees Christian athletes proclaim their faith, she said, “It’s like seeing the vision — what God really wanted —  coming to fruition.”

She said, “It takes more than one person to represent God in all the arenas and reach all the people.” She pointed out that while she has access to Team USA rowers, everyone can reach those around them.

Froehlich points out how challenging it is to be the one Christian on her team, but she takes advantage of every open door to share her faith in the Lord. She said, “We have the Light in us. Don’t put it under a basket.” She hopes her witness will mean that one day she’ll be praying with teammates.

Her strategy is to build relationships with her teammates, working hard as an athlete, establishing trust and respect. But she said:

The secret is that you pray about it. I pray for specific people that God has given me favor in their life, friendship in their life. And I cannot explain the rest. God always opens a door. And they ask questions or they get vulnerable. If someone gives me just one centimeter then I just share everything: Share the Gospel, share my testimony, and offer to pray.

Be encouraged by this interview:

Basketball Player Weeps During Anthem

Our last story is a bit different. You may remember Brittany Griner. In 2020, as a WNBA player, she advocated for the league to do away with the playing of the national anthem after the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. She once left the court during the playing of the anthem. Then, in 2022, she was jailed in Russia for 10 months for possession of hash oil. She was arrested just a few days before Russia invaded Ukraine. Finally, she was released in a prisoner swap.

As the national anthem played after Griner and the USA women’s basketball team won gold, Griner weeps, then must regain composure before interacting with her team. You can watch below. Our freedoms as Americans are an echo of freedom in Christ. Let’s thank God for Griner’s reaction and pray that Jesus reveals Himself to her if He hasn’t already.

After Team USA’s win in women’s basketball, the Star-Spangled Banner rings out one last time at the #ParisOlympics. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/ede9dTQfsq

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 11, 2024

Lord, may every athlete who bears Your beautiful name have courage to bear witness to what You’re doing in their lives. As they prepare for the next competitions, may they never get too busy to spend time in Your Word. Give them backbones of steel, to speak Your truths into a world ready to silence and reject them. We also pray for the Christian athletes gearing up for the Paralympics beginning August 28. Anoint them to shine brightly to those around them. May they be a picture of what You can do through a broken person in a fallen world.

Post your prayers for the Christian athletes you know of in the comments.

On our tour of Europe with my play about Eric Liddell and the rest of the Chariots of Fire story, which culminated during the Olympics, we reached people from at least 35 nations.

Rich Swingle has presented in 42 nations on six continents, mostly with his own one-man plays. He and his bride Joyce Swingle, another contributing writer for IFA, shared his one-man play about Eric Liddell, world-record breaker at Paris 1924 in Paris, 2024: www.BeyondTheChariots.com. The Swingles live in New York City. www.RichDrama.com.