and field) and Briana Rollins, Nia Ali and Kristi
Catlin who took the gold, silver and bronze in
100-meter hurdles. There were also winners in
other events—and collectively, they have broken down barriers for other aspiring athletes
to climb through.
The 2016 US Olympic Team, as a
whole, is to be applauded as they proved 46
times the U.S. was the best and added 75 silver and bronze medals--totaling 121 in all. Yet,
as great as their individual and team performances proved to be, there are some valuable
lessons to be learned from their collective
experiences before, after and during competition.
Lesson 1: What it Takes to Win
Nothing pays off more than putting in
the work. And those not willing to put forth
the effort might as well stay at home. Natural
ability will take you about half way to your
goal. Faith will open doors and propel your
forward, it keeps you encouraged. But it is
hard work and determination that are necessary for you to go the distance. Simone Biles
wears Christianity like a beautiful garment
that cloaks her in humility. Yet, she didn’t sit
back and wait for God to win the medal as she
looked on. Simone took a year off from her
Stanford swim team to focus on competing for
the Olympics. She knew she had to put in the
extra time to get to the next level. Regardless
of what is being pursued, this is an important
reminder for believers. Faith alone without
works is dead. (James 2:17)
16 HimPower September 2016
Lesson 2: Handling Adversity
Everyone faces disappointment at one
time or the other. Although Simone Biles was
an excellent gymnast and ready to compete
in 2012, she was too young to qualify for the
team. For her, it would be a long four year wait
before she could show the world the gifts God
had given her. Although it had to be a bitter
pill to swallow at the time, her performance
in Rio showed she didn’t waste time feeling
sorry for herself. It appears to have motivated
her instead. Not willing to settle for mediocrity or just being good enough to make the
team in 2016, she stepped up her game with
technical difficulties that had never before
been witnessed in Olympic competition. She
easily won four gold medals and picked up a
bronze. So, while 2012 may have seemed like
a setback at the time, it was more likely a set
up. No weapons formed against you will prosper.
(Isaiah 54:17)
Lesson 3: There is No Short Cut to
Excellence
Winning the gold is the pinnacle of
success for athletes. It also translates in to
huge cash winnings in some countries. This
may be the reason some athletes are willing
to use performance enhancing drugs even if it
means the possibility of getting caught. Every
Olympic athlete knows testing is a big part
of the game. They are tested before and after
the games. Those found “doping” are stripped
of medals they were awarded but failed to
earn. The question then becomes, “Is it worth