• Faith: Christian
• Career: Athlete
• Birthday:  July 02, 1986

Kendrick Farris is an Olympic weightlifter for the United States. He competed for the U.S. in the 85 kg weight class at the 2008 Summer Olympics, where he placed eighth. Farris also participated in the 2013 Summer Olympics in London, where he placed tenth. He was the silver medalist at the 2013 Summer Universiade and the Pan-American Champion in 2010. Kyle Pierce coached Farris.

During the Olympic trials in 2016, Farris broke the U.S. record by lifting a total of 831 pounds in the snatch and 461 pounds in the clean and jerk. In the 2016 Olympics, Farris finished eleventh in the 94 kg weight class, with a 160 kg snatch and 197 kg clean and jerk. Born in Shreveport, Louisiana, Farris attended LSU. He and his wife Katrina have two sons, Kingsley and Khalil.

What religion is Kendrick Farris?

Farris was raised in a Christian family and attended youth group and vacation Bible school, but it wasn't until he suffered an injury in 2008 that he says he started to pursue a relationship with God wholeheartedly. He told Athletes in Action, "I've really been growing spiritually since then." Farris says his weightlifting success gives him the opportunity to evangelize. His Team USA profile says the Bible is his favorite book, and he lists "Yahawah" and "Yahawahsha," two names for God, as well as "Christ" as three of the most influential people in his life, before his mother, his coach and his wife," Religion News Service reports. 

He told Athletes in Action, "I try to share my faith as much as possible, using this platform that I have as an Olympian. For me, part of that is just being real and showing that faith is a part of me. This is the truth for me." Farris also said he prays and meditates on Scripture before a meet, and he shares a daily Bible verse on his Facebook page. While training for Rio, he posted, "Am I lucky? Far from it. Do I work hard? You already know. Will I be doing anything different this time around? Well, you'll have to keep an eye out for that. All praises to The Most High Most, honor and respect to the future king of the earth, the king of kings!"

He has a motto: "Bless the gym." By gym, he means both the physical building — "I want to bless it with my time, talent and presence," he told Athletes for Christ — and his own physical body. "If you believe in the Word of God, your body is the gym," he said.