Christian athletes are very supportive of one another. Even though NFL star Benjamin Watson, who plays the tight end for the Baltimore Ravens, plays football and not diving, he cannot help but laud U.S. Olympic diving team members David Boudia and Steele Johnson.
Boudia and Johnson talked about their Christian faith after winning second place in the men's synchronized 10m platform, and it got the attention of Prince Amukamara, the cornerback for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
"Loved USA Olympic swimmers interview! 'Identity not in swimming but in Christ!'" he tweeted on his account (@PrinceAmukamara). Watson (@BenjaminSWatson) agreed and wrote in reply, "So good, so true, great perspective! @USADiving."
The two divers proudly proclaimed their Christian faith after receiving their silver medals from the competition. They said they couldn't have handled the pressure of the sport if not for their focus on Jesus Christ.
"It's just an identity crisis. When my mind is on this [diving], and I'm thinking I'm defined by this, then my mind goes crazy," Boudia said in an interview with NBC. "But we both know that our identity is in Christ, and we're thankful for this opportunity to be able to dive in front of Brazil and in front of the United States. It's been an absolutely thrilling moment for us."
Johnson agreed with his mentor, saying that even if things did not go well for them in the Olympics, he could still find joy because of God. The fact that he won an Olympic silver medal in his first event is "a cool opportunity."
"The way David just described it was flawless — the fact that I was going into this event knowing that my identity is rooted in Christ and not what the result of this competition is just gave me peace... and it let me enjoy the contest," Johnson said.
