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These five track and field athletes took a step away from the norm as they boldly credited their faith in Jesus played a vital role in their Paris 2024 Olympics success in securing medals in their individual events.
Most famous sports personalities publicly shy away from speaking about their faith, mostly in honour of conforming to societal demands or because of the fear of losing lucrative endorsement deals.
However, these five track and field athletes took a step away from the norm as they boldly acknowledged their faith in Jesus played a vital role in their Paris 2024 Olympics success in securing medals in their individual events.
In no particular order, meet these athletes and how they expressed their faith to the podium in record-breaking performances.
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17:39 - 12.08.2024
Paris 2024 Olympics: Top 10 best American athletes, featuring McLaughlin-Levrone, Noah Lyles, and Gabby Thomas
A magnanimous 120 athletes donned the American colours proudly and gave their best at Paris 2024 Olympics as Team USA carted home with 34 medals to top the medals table. Here are the best 10 carefully selected based on their iconic feats, medals won, and history-making performances.
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone
The 400mH queen obliterated her World Record to win gold in a jaw-dropping time of 50.37s, breaking the record for the sixth time in the event. McLaughlin Levrone is also the first woman to defend an Olympic 400mH title successfully.
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Then in the women's 4x400m final, the heroic hurdler clocked an outstanding split time of 47.71s (second-fastest in history) as the quartet destroyed a 34-year-old American Record, missing the WR by a mere 10th with their 3:15.27.
Speaking after her record-breaking feat, McLaughlin-Levrone said:
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21:06 - 12.08.2024
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone mentions Sha'Carri Richardson, four others as the queens she'd share a piece of her crown
Hurdling queen Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone acknowledges Sha'Carri Richardson faced some challenges during the Paris 2024 Olympics and will love to share a piece of her crown with the world 100m champion, as well as four other American female athletes.
"Records come and go, but the Glory of God is Eternal. I don't deserve anything. But by grace through faith, Jesus has given me everything."
In a related development, the 25-year-old also spoke on losing brand endorsements because of her faith.
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"I credit all that I do to God. Regardless of what happens, He’s going to get the praise. Every time I step on the track I pray 'Let me be the vessel in which you’re glorified'… that’s why I do what I do.
"There's been a lot of talk that I received just about, you know, you may not want to talk so much about that," said McLaughlin-Levrone. "You might lose endorsements, you might lose deals this, that in the third. But I mean, I don't live for the approval of people, so I don't have to worry about any of those things. And even if an endorsement or something wants to leave, I know that God will provide for me in the way he sees fit."
2 - Cole Hocker
He pulled off a massive upset to win Olympic gold in the 1500m in Paris, thus leading an American 1-3 in the event as Yared Nuguse took Bronze. Hocker clocked an Olympic Record of 3:27.65 to achieve this historic feat.
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It became the first time in 112 years that two Americans secured podium placements in the men's 1500m at the Olympics since 1912.
On how he was able to find the extra gear in the last 50m of the race, Hocker said: “I let God carry me through the finish line”.
3 - Yemisi Ogunleye
A golden throw by Yemisi Ogunleye in her last attempt saw her win Germany's first Olympic gold in the women's shot put in 28 years.
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She was hanging in around the medal zone but came clutch in her decisive throw with a massive distance of 20.00m.
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During the press conference, Ogunleye broke out with a gospel music repping Jesus as she sang Kurt Carr’s “I Almost Let Go”.
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16:17 - 14.08.2024
Yemisi Ogunleye: 8 fascinating facts about the pretty Nigerian who won Olympic gold for Germany
Yemisi, a German Olympic gold medalist once went viral after singing in Yoruba.
4 - Salwa Eid Naser
Despite representing a Muslim country, Salwa Eid Naser is a devout Christian and attributed her Paris 2024 Olympic success of winning the 400m silver medal to God.
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Naser made her first championship comeback in three years, after a doping suspension which she still claims her innocence. So for the 2019 world champion to seal her Paris outing with a medal in her second-fastest career time of 48.53s, was a testament to God's goodness over life.
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13:09 - 10.08.2024
It was unfair for me to be banned: Olympic 400m silver medallist Naser breaks silence three years after controversial suspension
Salwa Eid Naser maintained her innocence and categorically stated she was banned unfairly, and her comeback by winning the Paris 2024 Olympic 400m silver medal is clean.
"God is good.to know the journey of this Olympic medal🥹is a testament that God is good ,God made a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert ,I worship God ,I bless God because it’s not by my power neither is it by my might but by the grace of God thank you God," wrote Naser as her victory post on her Instagram page.
5 - Marileidy Paulino
The world 100m champion became the first ever Olympic gold medalist the Dominican Republic with a magnificent 400m Olympic record of 48.17s, to move fourth on the all-time list.
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Immediately after crossing the finish line, Paulino pointed to the sky and went down on her knees to thank God. Her Instagram post will then be a short message: "The Power of God is Great."
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