A young Christian skier has won gold at the Winter Olympics in the first ever men’s freestyle skiing halfpipe competition.
David Wise who is 23, married to Lexi and has a two-year-old daughter, was already the world champion going into the event in Sochi.
Speaking before the Games the American athlete said, “whenever I’m out there skiing, I try to be the same person as a skier as I am in church on Sundays”.
Family
Wise’s sport involves performing jumps and tricks in the air above a half pipe – a giant U-shaped snow structure.
Judges gave Wise a score of 92 out of 100 for his first run and despite falling on his second attempt, he secured the gold medal.
In an interview with American news channel NBC last month he spoke about how being a father has affected his attitude to competing.
“Being a dad and a family man has really made me a better athlete, honestly.”
Happy
He added he was “happy and content, fulfilled”.
Commenting on his church life, Wise explained that he and his wife currently work with young people and that could develop in the future.
“I’ve seen maybe in my life that I could be a pastor of a church at some point.
Inspire
“If that’s the way it works out, or if that’s God’s plan for my life, then that’s something I’d be totally okay with, but if not, then I’ll do whatever else comes.”
Asked whether there was a divide between his sport and his faith, he said: “They’re definitely not totally separate. For me, if you’re going to go so far as to believe something, then it really should be a big part of whom you are.”
“If I can in turn take what I love to do and inspire other people, then that’s exactly what I’m looking for”, Wise commented.