Amazing Rio Olympic Divers David Boudia & Steele Johnson Put Christ First [Video]

Amazing Rio Olympic Divers David Boudia & Steele Johnson Put Christ First [Video]

Amazing Rio Olympic Divers David Boudia & Steele Johnson Put Christ First [Video]
Börkur Sigurbjörnsson is licensed under CC BY-2.0
Two more US Olympic athletes speak about their strong Christian roots; insist that their Christian identity comes first.

Two more Olympic champions representing the US have come forward to express their Christian faith openly on television. Swimming sensations David Boudia and Steele Johnson insist that they want to be remembered for their faithfulness to Christ rather than as Olympians.

Amazing Rio Olympic Divers David Boudia & Steele Johnson Put Christ First [Video][/tweetthis]

Even before the Olympic Games at Rio could begin, the organizers had declared that a part of the planning would be devoted towards creating facilities that would cater to the spiritual needs of the athletes. Clearly, their efforts have not gone to waste. Earlier we saw Katie Ledecky and Simone Biles openly speaking about their strong Catholic roots. The organizers definitely did not underestimate the spiritual needs of the athletes that could arise during the games.

20-year-old swimmer Steele Johnson is a newcomer to the world of the Olympics. Despite being new to the international event, he has already gained popularity for his amazing performance and special flips. However, he declared that his biggest desire is to be known for his “love and service to Christ.” Johnson had an accident in 2009, which left him seriously injured with a cracked skull. Having suffered from memory loss since then, the athlete has been recovering remarkably well, thanks to his coach and guide, John Wingfield. The athlete says that if he is alive today, the credits go entirely to Wingfield.

Catholic-turned-evangelical 27-year-old David Boudia has been open about his faith for much longer than his swimming partner Johnson. Boudia believes that everything in his life is ruled by God, who holds absolute sovereignty over Him. The athlete says that he has already accepted whatever outcomes the events will lead to whether he wins or loses, both proceed from heavenly will. Boudia believes that he is a Christian first, and this Christian identity of his is what defines him more. He admits that there are times when he starts to identify himself with the swimming champion that he is, and at such times, he reminds himself that he is not what his sport has made him, but rather, a follower of Christ.

The duo entered into the events strongly rooted in their Christian faith. They say this gives them a kind of detachment from the outcomes of the games, so that whether they win or lose, they are happy anyway. Since they have made Jesus the source of their joy, they say that the results of their competitions will not affect them, and as such, they are able to perform with a joyful abandon and gladness that whatever they do, they do for Christ.

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