This year’s United States Olympic team in Paris is made up of not only world-class, talented athletes but also dedicated Christians who draw strength and inspiration from their faith. From swimming to track to volleyball to gymnastics, these athletes exemplify both exceptional skill and profound faith in their respective sports. Here are 10 U.S. Olympic athletes who are also dedicated Christians.
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1. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (track)
A two-time gold medalist who is in her third Olympics, McLaughlin-Levrone qualified for the Paris Games in the 400-meter hurdles and the 400-meter sprint.
McLaughlin-Levrone is vocal about her faith and discusses it in her book Far Beyond Gold: Running from Fear to Faith.
“Praise God,” she told NBC this summer when she set a world record and won the 400-meter sprint. “I was not expecting that, but He can do anything. Anything is possible in Christ. So yeah -- I’m just amazed, baffled, and shocked.”
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2. Kelly Cheng (beach volleyball)
The two-time Olympian finished ninth with teammate Sara Hughes at the Tokyo Games but won gold at the 2023 World Championships.
Cheng’s Instagram bio reads: “Saved by grace.”
“Sarah’s Catholic, I’m a Christian, and I think we’ve had some really awesome conversations about God,” she told the Sports Spectrum Podcast, according to The Lion. “… And it’s something that I’m really passionate about, and it’s very much why I do what I do. I really want to glorify him with the gifts that He’s given me, and it’s been really fun getting to have those conversations with Sarah because she’s also a believer.”
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3. Simone Manuel (swimming)
Manuel is in her third Olympics, having won two gold medals, two silver and one bronze. She has 16 medals on the World Championships level. Her official Team USA bio says she “enjoys listening to upbeat music when working out, and gospel music always motivates her.”
Her Instagram bio lists Philippians 4:13.
“WOW!!! To God be the glory!” she wrote on Facebook after she qualified for this year’s Olympic team. “… I’ve been asked the question of ‘retirement’ many times after my heartbreaking journey to get to the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2021. Honestly, It’s oftentimes been a very frustrating topic for me. Quitting was never an option! The flame was still burning!
“It all started with a call to be obedient and faithful to God’s calling and purpose for my life. Believing in the fact that He is in control and that He always has much bigger plans for our lives than we can imagine.”
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4. Hunter Armstrong (swimming)
Armstrong won gold in the 400-meter medley relay at the Tokyo Games in his second Olympics. He has also won 10 medals at the World Championships during his career. His Instagram profile reads, “God first.”
“Every time I swim, I point up to the sky because it’s God first. None of this matters without Him,” he told the Sports Spectrum Podcast.
“My prayer before every race is, ‘Give me the strength to do my best, and may whatever I do bring glory to your name,’” he said.
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5. Anna Hall (track and field)
Hall competes in the heptathlon in her first Olympics, having won silver at the 2023 World Championships and bronze in 2022 at the same competition. The heptathlon involves seven track and field events held over two days. Her Instagram bio reads, “follower of Christ.”
“When something goes wrong, there’s something better coming if you just stay faithful,” Hall told the Sports Spectrum Podcast.
“To me, [Jesus] is my Lord and Savior,” she added. “Jesus is the reason that we’re here and that we’re able to have hope, and that affects all aspects of my life.”
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6. Alison Gibson (diving)
Gibson qualified for the 3-meter springboard for the Paris Games. At the Tokyo Games, she finished eighth in 3-meter springboard synchronized diving. This is her second Olympics. Her Team USA bio says she “listens to a playlist of Christian songs and prays before she dives.” She lists Romans 5:3-5 on her Instagram bio.
“First and foremost, I want to say all glory to God,” Gibson told NBC after she qualified for the Olympics.
She told Sports Spectrum Magazine that her faith keeps her grounded
“My faith was something I could always come back to and recognize that no matter how hard it was, no matter what insecurities I was feeling, my identity was centered in Christ,” Gibson told the magazine, “and God made me uniquely for this purpose and for this path.”
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7. Brody Malone (gymnastics)
A two-time Olympian, Malone narrowly missed out on a bronze medal at Tokyo, finishing fourth on the horizontal bar. He won gold on the horizontal bar at the 2022 World Championships.
After qualifying for the Olympics this year, he wrote on Instagram: “‘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”
He added, “After taking a few days to reflect on this past weekend, my mind keeps going back to this verse. As soon as my injury happened, I was flooded with a lot of different emotions. Pain, regret, confusion. While lying on the stretcher, I remember saying to God, ‘I don’t know why you did this, but I guess it’s part of Your plan.’ I immediately felt at peace about it and knew that He was going to somehow use my injury to display His glory. That peace kept me from being upset it happened, and allowed me to focus on what good would come from it. I am incredibly grateful to be representing the team.”
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8. Aaron Brooks (wrestling)
Brooks is competing in his first Olympics. He won silver at the 2018 Junior World Championships and gold at the 2017 Cadet World Championships. His Instagram bio reads, “Jesus is King.”
Brooks made headlines in 2023 for his faith-focused comments after he won an NCAA title while wrestling for Penn State.
“Christ’s resurrection is everything — not just His life, but His death and resurrection,” Brooks said. “You can only get that through Him, the Holy Spirit only through Him, no false prophets, no Muhammad, no anyone else, only Jesus Christ Himself.”
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9. Caeleb Dressel (swimming)
In his third Olympics, Dressel is a seven-time gold medalist, having won five times in Tokyo.
He told the Baptist Standard in 2015 that faith is “the reason I’m in the sport — not just to go fast times, but to inspire people and show them where I find my happiness with what God’s given me.”
An Eagle tattoo on his left shoulder was inspired by 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.”
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10. Micah Christenson (volleyball)
A three-time Olympian, Christenson helped the USA men win bronze at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games. His Instagram bio reads: “Servant of the King.”
“For me, I’m a Christian. I believe in God, and so I know I get a lot of freedom from my faith in God,” he told Spin.
“When I’m out there, I feel free to make different decisions and take a little bit of risk because I know where my identity lies and that love is always gonna be there.”
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Originally published Friday, 26 July 2024.