Team GB Olympic athletes share Christian faith

Two British athletes have shared how their faith in Christ has helped them in their profession.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Sunday Worship programme, runner Daniel Rowden, 23, and swimmer Daniel Jervis, 25, explained how their faith kept them grounded and spurred them on in their careers.

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, which were delayed due to the pandemic, are set to start today.

Salvation

Rowden, the current 800m British National Champion, said how it was very easy for him to let his performance dictate his “thoughts, emotions, feelings, sense of self-worth and sense of success”.

He added: “My faith relates a lot to that – it’s very pertinent because my success is not dependent on how I run, how I perform – it’s so much bigger than that. My success is determined by what Jesus did 2000 years ago.

My success is determined by what Jesus did 2000 years ago.

“And so even if things go incredibly badly, my salvation is still there and my life is still intact and I still have an incredible relationship with God. And even if things go really, really, really well, all those things still remain.”

Prayer

Jervis, a distance freestyle swimmer, said prayer was vital to his preparation by helping him focus on God’s will rather than his own.

He added that things didn’t always go his way: “God takes you in completely different directions sometimes, and in directions you do not want to go. But it always works out!”

The Olympian also shared his favourite Bible verse – Deuteronomy 31:6 – one that was on the back of the Bible given to him by his church.

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6

The full interview is available on BBC Sounds.