God is showing Himself mighty and true in the lives of people everywhere. Lately, He has shown Himself faithful to women at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics - most notably the women who were outspoken about their faith.
Women, and womanhood in general, received the harshest of attacks in the past few months. Women's sports faced intense pressure as transgender females, born biological males, were allowed to compete with biological females.
Female students in different schools were forced to compete with biological males who were allowed to participate in various activities because they identified as girls. More recently, female Olympic weightlifters were either forced to give up their place to, or compete with, a transgender weightlifter from New Zealand named Laurel Hubbard.
Hubbard, however, failed to win at the Olympics. The first transgender weightlifter in the Olympic competition didn't succeed at any of the three attempts that were made.
Biological females at the Olympics, however, continue to make their mark in history. Their victories are victories for women of any color, and they should be celebrated.
Of the 113 medals won by the U.S team during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, more than half (66) were won by women competing in different events, The Blaze reported. The outlet's Jason Whitlock emphasized that "our women led us to victory." He added, "The dominance of American women is not new. Our women have been outperforming our men since the 2008 Beijing Olympics."
Many of the female champions in the Olympics are Christians, and their victories are not only victories for women in general, but are also a clear message of support and rejoicing from God, who designed men and women in His image and likeness.
Here are some notable women who performed tremendously well in the Olympics and glorified God for their victories.
Olympic wrestler Tamyra Mensah-Stock is the first Black American woman to win a gold medal in Olympic wrestling. She is also the second American woman to win a gold for the U.S. in the women's 68-kilogram freestyle finals.
"It's by the grace of God I'm even able to move my feet," she told reporters after her win. "I just leave it in His hands and I pray that all the practice ... my coaches put my through pays off and, every single time, it does."
Olympic hurdler Sydney McLaughlin got the gold for the 400-meter hurdles while breaking previous records with her impressive 51.46-second finish. She was closely followed by fellow American hurdler Dalilah Muhammad who finished the run at 51.58 seconds.
"Giving the glory to God. It's all, this season, hard work and dedication. And [I'm] just really grateful to be able to represent my country and to have this opportunity," she said after her victory.
Olympic swimmer Tatjana Schoenmaker of Johannesburg, South Africa set a new record for the 200-meter breaststroke for women at the recent Olympics semi-finals. She then proceeded to win her country's first gold medal for the sport, ESPN reported. She finished the race at 2 minutes and 18.95 seconds, breaking the previous 2:19:11 record set by Rikke Moller Pedersen in 2013.
Schoenmaker proudly wears two swimming caps: a green-colored South African cap worn above a white-colored cap with the words "Soli Deo Gloria," which translates to "Glory To God," emblazoned on it alongside a Jesus fish symbol.
Olympic runner Kendra "Keni" Harrison recently won the silver medal for the women's 100-meter hurdles, clocking in at 12.37 seconds. She followed closely after Puerto Rico's Jasmine Camacho-Quinn.
A devout Christian, Harrison said her "deeper connection with God" is what motivated her to join the Olympics and conquer "all doubt" after missing the 2016 Olympics. She disclosed that she "allowed self-doubt" to defeat her at the time, but her faith allowed her to win this time around.
Olympic wrestler Helen Maroulis won the bronze medal for the sport and more for herself as this is her first Olympic medal following a bout with PTSD. She was diagnosed with PTSD following concussion and brain injuries, but revealed that it was God who pushed her to keep pushing and overcoming.
"If I didn't have that, I would have quit so many times throughout this whole quad. I really held onto that. I know I made a commitment," Maroulis said, referring to a promise she said God gave her after she won the gold in Rio in 2016.
"I thank God so much just for making me healthy," she said.
Olympic runner Allyson Felix recently won the silver medal for the 400-meter dash at the Tokyo Olympics. This is her 10th medal overall, and the first she won as a mother to Camryn. She revealed that this medal is very special to her because it's her first as a mom, and it came after she faced various trials, such as being diagnosed with pre-eclampsia, and a falling out with her sponsor Nike, both of which happened during her pregnancy with her beloved daughter.
"I've experienced the hardest years of my life in this journey and by God's grace I'm here," she said before the clinching the win.
Olympic weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, from the Philippines, won her country's first gold medal in nearly a century and did not fail to credit God for the win. This was the fourth time she joined the Olympics as a weightlifter, but this was the first time she won the top spot in her category.
"I cannot believe my name is in the Olympic record. So I'm really thankful," she said after winning the gold. "God is Amazing! God is Amazing!"
Women are powerful
These aren't the only women who won different medals in their respective fields, but all of them reveal that women should be respected, their capabilities honored, and their person celebrated - and that God rejoices in how He made them.
