Inspiring Winter Olympians

Lyndon Rush: Bobsleigh

At the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, Canadian bobsled driver Lyndon Rush was the comeback kid. After a disappointing wreck took his two-man team out of contention, he bounced back with a surprising bronze medal performance in the four-man race. Rush is back again for more one more shot at Olympic glory in Sochi. Rush learned a powerful lesson from his experience in Vancouver—a lesson that has helped him deal with life’s greater challenges. “The most important thing to remember is to do what God wants us to do,” Rush says. “He wants us to be used and He wants to see how we handle all sorts of situations, good or bad. You just have to give glory to Him.”

(Photo courtesy of Yahoo Sports)

Nick Goepper: Freeskiing

Action sports athletes are often pegged as rebellious, freewheeling and borderline reckless. Freeskiier Nick Goepper certainly doesn’t dispute the stereotype. But what might surprise some is that there’s a strong remnant of Christians within the various winter disciplines.

And as more action sports are added to the Winter Olympics, that translates into a chance for athletes like the two-time Winter X-Games gold medalist to show something unexpected on and off the snow.

“Being on the international stage is a great opportunity to express your faith,” Goepper says. “I want to share my values and what I believe with others.”

(Photo courtesy of NBC Olympics / USOC)

Elana Meyers: Bobsleigh

Elana Meyers was born into an Episcopalian family that later became Lutheran. More recently, she was baptized in a Baptist church. She’s also been known to attend non-denominational services. So Meyers really isn’t sure how to label her Christian faith.

But the two-time Olympian and 2010 bronze medalist does know that she is first and foremost a follower of Christ. For Meyers, that means doing things a little differently within her highly competitive sport.

“The Lord calls us to love everybody,” Meyers says. “It’s a challenge, but every single German or Canadian I want to beat, I still have to love them. That means competing the way God wants me to compete and helping my opponents if they have a need.”

(Photo courtesy of NBC Olympics / USOC)

Kelly Clark: Halfpipe Snowboarding

In 2002 at the Salt Lake City Games, an 18-year old Kelly Clark captured halfpipe gold and the hearts of the American fans. Four years later in Torino, a dramatic fall pushed Clark off the medal podium and into a fourth place finish.

But her newfound faith in Christ tempered any disappointment and continues to push her to excellence today. Clark, who won the bronze medal in 2010 and qualified for her fourth Olympics in 2014, refuses to allow success and failure to define her. In fact, Clark says she has found true freedom since embracing a relationship with God.

“I’ve brought that freedom into my snowboarding,” she adds. “I get to do what I love with the One that I love.”

Lauryn Williams: Bobsleigh

It’s hard to think of Lauryn Williams as a veteran Olympic athlete. But at the age of 30, that description certainly fits. Williams dashed onto the scene 10 years ago with a silver medal performance at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. She returned to the podium in 2012 after winning gold in the 4x100-meter relay.

Not ready to call it a career, Williams traded in her track cleats for bobspikes. But more importantly, Williams has grown in her Christian faith and continues to pursue a meaningful relationship with God

“It’s all about understanding that God is behind every performance, good or bad,” she says. “Trusting Him will always leave you satisfied.

(Photo courtesy of the Jamaica Observer)