Sending the right Olympic message

This summer’s Olympic/Paralympic games ratings in Japan were seriously impacted by both the political actions of some athletes and sponsors (i.e., wokeism) and by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically having no spectators. Despite these setbacks, athletes across the age spectrum ended up putting in many incredibly exciting record-breaking performances.

What we also witnessed were also some wonderfully public demonstrations of Christian faith by courageous athletes. I specifically want to recognize Matt Simpson, Hidilyn Diaz, Sydney McLaughlin, and Tatjana Schoenmaker.

The Paralympic Games does not receive much coverage, and that is a shame (that is another story for another column); however, if there had been expanded coverage, we would have seen Matt Simpson perform in a sport called goalball. The sport is played by athletes who are mostly or completely blind and is a combination of dodgeball and reverse volleyball.

“Goalball was created right after World War 2 by a couple of Austrian doctors who recognized the need to rehabilitate soldiers who had been blinded in the war,” explained Simpson in an interview with The Pillar (Aug. 11). He has played since he was 10 and has been on Team USA when they claimed gold at the 2014 world championships and silver in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Paralympics.

At the age of 31, he is a veteran on the team on the Tokyo squad. Simpson and his wife are new parents and new converts to the Catholic faith. All of these facts have altered his outlook on the sport and life. “My faith has been deepened tremendously just by taking part in the daily life of the church” (The Pillar). He has developed a love of the rosary and studying the lives of the saints “taking encouragement from their example.”

Goalball has a whole new meaning for Simpson: “I’m representing my country and everything I do can be given to God.” He is also philosophical when reflecting on his blindness. “God has equipped me as he saw fit … backing down because I am disabled is not what God wants for me.”

The beautiful country of the Philippines had never experienced one of its athletes winning an Olympic gold medal until Hidilyn Diaz finished on top in the women’s 55-kg weightlifting event in Tokyo. She set a world record along the way.

During the Olympics she wore the Miraculous Medal. Immediately after her victory, as she held up that same medal, Diaz thanked all her friends who prayed had the Miraculous Medal novena. In an interview with America: The Jesuit Review, she said, “It is a sign of my faith to Mama Mary and Jesus Christ. I am thankful to God that he gave me a chance to be a role model … to inspire youth and teach them the value of sports.”

She told interviewers she had surrendered herself to God and that in her training she had never been able to lift the winning weight. She believes the novena made the difference. Diaz had been stranded in Malaysia for 19 months before the Olympics due to the pandemic; she was away from her family in Zamboanga City. She persisted and reached the pinnacle of her sport in the most unlikely of stories – in her opinion, through the intercession of Mary and the goodness of God.

Sydney McLaughlin is an American 400-metre hurdler who also set a world record in Tokyo, breaking her own previous mark. Immediately following the race she told NBC, “I was just trusting the process and giving glory to God. The face of a woman who is in awe of God” (Daily Wire). She was then shown the reaction of her former Union Catholic High School, which she was so proud to represent. “My faith was being tested all week, but I just kept hearing God say, ‘Just focus on me’. It was the best race plan I could have ever assembled. I no longer run for self but to reflect his perfect will.”

Sister Percylee Hart, the principal at Union Catholic, spoke of McLaughlin as always demonstrating character and faith while serving others. The virtue she was best known for was humility, something we see far too little of in world-class sports. Sister Hart told America that all McLaughlin’s actions were done “within the context of her faith.”

A Christian athlete from South Africa, Tatjana Schoenmaker, again set a world record (we see a pattern here) in winning gold in her swimming event, the 200-metre breaststroke. In similar fashion to these other champions, she makes it perfectly clear who gets the credit and glory for the win. She wears a swim cap that says, “Soli Deo Gloria” (Glory to God alone). Before her race she posted on Twitter, “Father God may your will be done, may your peace fill us up, may we praise you whatever the outcome, may we be empowered by your strength to give it our all and may we forever be in awe of your goodness.”

I thank God for these courageous, faith-filled athletes who inspire us not just to great athletic accomplishments but to a far higher goal of deepening their love for God and spreading his message of love.