|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
| Elana Meyer |
|
 |
South Africa
Track and Field - 10,000 meters
1992 Olympic Silver Medalist, 1996 Olympic Silver Medalist
|
|
|
|
| Elana Meyer One of the great focuses in Elana Meyer's life is "unity." Unity with Christ, her savior. Unity with her fellow man.
Meyer, a two-time Olympic silver medalist in the 10,000 meters for South Africa ('92 and '96) doesn't separate her life as a follower of Jesus Christ from her life as a runner.
|
|
| "Running is a way God can use me for His glory," says Meyer. "Athletics is not my life. Christ is. I'm a follower of Christ first and then an athlete. I try to do everything for God's glory, including running. A person must never become the focus of attention. If people look closely at me, they'll discover I have many faults. It's important to look at the Lord and build our lives around Him."
Meyer believes her running and her faith complement each other.
"The parallels of being a successful runner and a victorious follower of Christ are striking to me," she says. "To stay in top condition, I run up to three hours a day or about 150 kilometers (93 miles) a week. In the same way, I train to develop and maintain a disciplined spiritual life. Despite my running schedule, it is important to stay in close contact with the Word of God, the Bible, because it is the purest way of knowing what God wants me to be and to do. I make a special place in my day to get alone with God, praying to Him and reading my Bible. "While striving to win, Elana knows that winning isn't a requirement of God in order for Him to be pleased with her.
"As a follower of Christ, it doesn't really matter if I win or lose, as long as I do my best God's love for me is unconditional - it doesn't depend on my winning a gold medal," he said.
Elana wishes human beings would show unconditional love for each other. After winning the silver medal in 1992, Elana and Ethiopian gold medal winner Tulu Deratu joined hands for a spontaneous victory lap shown on world-wide television. Says Elana, "Together we symbolized to the whole world the hope for racial unity in Africa."
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Who are you following? Where are you headed? To find the peace and direction that only God can give you click here. |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
| Copyright (c) 2000-2004, TTNL Sports Network |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|