Over the years, the Winter Olympics have showcased grit, strength, perseverance, and discipline. From ice skating to speed skating, talent is on display. But what if something deeper beams from within?
Unlike many stadium sports filled with noise and crowds, the Olympics reveal a quiet stage for faith. Especially as the winter events unfold, frozen air wafts, glimmering snow sparkles, and split-second performances are in sight, viewers see years of unseen work in a matter of minutes. Over the decades, many athletes have clung to faith amid professional sports injuries, losses, pressure, and success.
At one time, medals and records may have applauded them, but as we look back at each of their stories, we'll see character forged in moments that last far longer. Throughout Winter Olympic history, a multitude of athletes have openly lived out their faith not with podiums or microphones, but through humility, resilience, and trust beyond results.
Here are seven Winter Olympians whose legacy reminds us that faith is not just something to claim when we win, but something that sustains us through every season.
Photo Credit:©Getty Images/Emmanuele Ciancaglini / Stringer
1. Olympic Figure Skater Kristi Yamaguchi Performed with Grace Under Pressure
In 1992, Kristi Yamaguchi showed immense grace under pressure when competing in the figure skating games. Not only was she the first Asian American to win a gold medal in a Winter Olympic competition, but her story of fame is truly a miracle.
According to PTM, Kristi’s mother, Carole Doi, is credited with most of her daughter’s fame. When Kristi was born with two club feet, Carole was determined to help her daughter however she could. With corrective casts, shoes, and braces, Carole helped Kristi strengthen the muscles she did have. It was later decided that Kristi would be an ice skater because a doctor agreed that skating would help aid her recovery. Little did they know that she would become a legacy.
While Carole made many sacrifices for Kristi, like getting up at 4 am for early morning practices, after 15 years of lessons, she watched Kristi win the 16th Winter Olympics in Albertville, France. “Kristi became the first Asian-American woman to win an Olympic gold medal in large part because her mother self-sacrifically helped her to conquer her handicaps and eventually stand on that victory platform.”
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Rick Stewart / Stringer
2. Olympic Speed Skater Bonnie Blair Competed Boldly through Grief
When we face sorrow, do we give up or press into pain? Bonnie Blair knew the latter and won the speed skating Olympics in 1988 and 1992. With humility and dominance, her story shows consistency, dedication, and discipline.
At just four years old, Blair began her path to fame by finding purpose beyond the medals she’d later hold in her hands. Though it wasn’t easy, it was her memories, resilience, and perseverance that drove her.
Shortly before the 1992 games, Blair had lost her father, Charlie, and struggled mentally and physically to maintain her drive and focus. But because of her father’s encouragement to participate in the games, she set out in pursuit to dedicate any success to his memory. Though she encountered highs and lows in the games as a whole, Blair is still known for her dedication to faith, family, and friendship.
Today, she’s a motivational speaker, setting aside her five gold medals and one bronze medal to help those who need an encouraging word most. Blair showed what happens when grief is put into action, and you use it to help others learn to heal.
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Simon Bruty / Staff
3. Olympic Figure Skater Scott Hamilton Overcame Adversity
At just two years old, Scott Hamilton was an unlikely hero or victor for the Olympic Games. Diagnosed with Schwachman-Diamond Syndrome, an intense intestinal disorder, it would be nearly impossible for him to live a normal life. And yet, Hamilton went on to live an extraordinary one.
With his 5-3 stature and 110-pound frame, he made the 1980 US Winter Olympics, placing fifth in Lake Placid and then becoming the dominant skater in the world with four consecutive US titles and World Championships. He never lost a title between 1981 and 1984 and even went on to join the professional Ice Capades for two years. After this show, he created his own show, Stars on Ice, and toured until 2001.
Today, Hamilton has overcome numerous health problems beyond his childhood conditions, including testicular cancer and a benign brain tumor. While it wasn’t until a 2012 report by the Christian Post that Hamilton found Jesus, his story points to faith through it all: “God is there to guide you through the tough spots. God was there every single time, every single time." Because Hamilton believes in God, who gives us faith to sustain us before, during, and even after our greatest competitions.
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/David Madison / Contributor
4. Olympic SkierJeremy Bloom Achieved the Impossible
As a football player, it was rare that Jeremy would go on to compete in the Winter Olympics. Athletes were typically good at a single sport and stayed in their lane. But not Jeremy.
As a skier, Bloom was one of the most highly competitive athletes in the history of the U.S. Ski Team. He won three World Championships, 11 World Cup Gold Medals, and was the youngest freestyle skier to be inducted into the Skiing Hall of Fame.
As a football player, Bloom was also part of the NFL and signed by the Philadelphia Eagles and the Pittsburgh Steelers during his career. Playing both wide receiver and return specialist, though he was popular in both sports, he never appeared in a regular-season game. Achieving what he thought was beyond, Bloom encourages us that we can have and use many talents for good.
Photo Credit: @Getty Images/Jed Jacobsohn / Staff
5. Olympic Bobsledder Elena Meyers Didn't Let Failure Define Her
Elena Meyers attempted to join the Olympics in 2003 for softball, but faced defeat. After this failure, however, she didn't throw in the towel, but rather allowed the failure to motivate her. Immediately turning her attention to bobsledding, she emailed the coach, auditioned two weeks later, and made the national team. The drive behind her? Jesus.
“I’m in this sport to glorify God," said Meyers. “God put me here for a specific reason, and I don’t think it’s just to win medals."
As a four-time Olympian (2010, 2014, 2018, 2022), five-time Olympic medalist, nine-time World Championships medalist, four-time USABS Women’s Bobsled Athlete of the Year, most decorated Black athlete in the Winter Olympics, and WSF Wilma Rudolph Courage Award winner, 2022, Meyers has shown that failure never defines us.
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Maddie Meyer / Staff
6. Olympic Hockey Player, Eric Staal, Stepped Up to Be a Leader
Not everyone is born to be a leader, but everyone can become one if they're willing to put in the work and effort. That's what Eric Staal, winner of the Olympic gold with Team Canada in 2010, the world championship in 2007, and a Stanley Cup in 2006, noted to TGC. As part of the "Triple Gold Club," it's rare for an individual to win an Olympic Gold, World Cup, and Stanley Cup. How did he do it? Staal gives credit to the leadership he learned from the Lord.
Growing up as the oldest of four brothers, Staal believes that playing hockey for the Olympics has allowed him to show the importance of setting goals and spending time with God: "This sport is a chance to try to live our lives for God and show our fans and teammates that there are better things up above." Even with a busy schedule, Staal prioritizes time with God, his family, and dedication to his sport.
"Hockey season is always a busy time — it’s a long year, and sometimes it’s tough to find that study time, but when I do, it’s always great and refreshing.”
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV / Contributor
7. Olympic Freesyle Halfpipe Skier David Wise Exuded Humble Confidence
Growing up in a family of winter sports enthusiasts, it was no surprise that David Wise would become the first and only man to claim the gold medal in men's halfpipe skiing. Learning tricks of the trade at an early age and spending most of his days at the local ski resorts in California, he started competing at the junior level at age 11.
By 15, Wise was named the US champion and made his FIS Freestyle Skiing World Cup debut at age 18. By 2009, he was the first skier to land the double cork 1260, and he won the halfpipe title in the 2012 World Cup and 2013 FIS Freestyle World Ski Championship in Voss. He went on to claim three consecutive Winter X Games in Aspen from 2012 to 2014.
Despite all of his success, Wise is known for his humble confidence and respect for the sport: "I appreciate the opportunity to represent my country, my hometown, and MY people in the Olympics this year more than I knew I was capable of. I also know that all of this is temporary, and that is ok. Everything that I have is a gift from God, and He can take it away when He wants to. I am surrounded by people who truly love and support me for who I am, not what I do on a pair of skis and not for any level of success I could attain."
Christian Olympic Athletes Today
God continues to use Christian athletes to reflect His glory through sports. From past Winter Olympians to competitors today, faith remains a steady presence in the Olympic Games, expressed through perseverance, humility, and purpose beyond performance.
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Tom Pennington / Staff
Originally published Tuesday, 27 January 2026.