Winter Olympic Athletes Say Gold Is Not Enough

Olympians Use BeyondTheUltimate.org to Share Faith with Fans

XENIA, Ohio, Feb. 11, 2010— Gold is the ultimate goal for thousands of the world's top athletes who begin competing next week at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver.  But a group of Olympians have found something more valuable than gold medals-and they're sharing their personal stories with fans worldwide through BeyondTheUltimate.org. 

BeyondTheUltimate.org features stories and videos of current and past Winter Olympic athletes, including:

• Kelly Clark, Pro Snowboarder and Olympic Gold Medalist
• Chad Hedrick, Speed Skater and Olympic Gold Medalist
• Cindy Klassen, Speed Skater and Olympic Gold Medalist (Canada)
• Brock Kreitzburg, Former Olympic Bobsledder and World Cup Gold Medalist
• Jilleanne Rookard, Olympic Speed Skater
• Curt Tomasevicz, Olympic Bobsledder and World Cup Gold Medalist

Representing the highest in personal achievement, these athletes share not only a passion for sport but also a passion from which they are able to draw strength for competition-and for life.

"From the outside perspective it looked as though I had too many things working against me.  People expected failure.  But I had one thing going for me: God," said Olympic Sprint Skater Jilleanne Rookard.  "I've learned that success is not defined by the outcome, but by the courage it takes to chase God-sized dreams."

BeyondTheUltimate.org was originally developed in partnership with Athletes in Action, the sports ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ, as a platform for Super Bowl coaches Tony Dungy, Lovie Smith and their players to share the important role that faith in Jesus Christ has played in their lives.  BeyondTheUltimate.org has since expanded to reach fans of a variety of sports.

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Coverage Opportunities

• Link to personal stories and video from more than 20 Olympic athletes, available in nine language translations

• FollowBeyond the Ultimate via updates on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube

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Quotes

 

Kelly Clark, Pro Snowboarder and Olympic Gold Medalist

• "After becoming a Christian my snowboarding was no longer something I had to do, it was something I was made to do and could actually have fun."

• "I was no longer snowboarding to prove to people who I was, because through my relationship with God I learned who I was."

Chad Hedrick, Speed Skater and Olympic Medalist

• "I was always known as this guy who worked hard and played hard...I did things I probably shouldn't have done."

• "Even though you are on the wrong path at one point in your life, it's always possible to get going in the right direction."

• "Life without Jesus is tough..."

Jilleanne Rookard, Olympic Sprint Skater

• "From the outside perspective it looked as though I had too many things working against me. People expected failure. But I had one thing going for me: God."

• "It was strange because God didn't solve my problems. But it seemed as though He was giving me the strength to handle more."

• "I've learned that success is not defined by the outcome, but by the courage it takes to chase God-sized dreams."
  

 

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About Beyond the Ultimate

 

BeyondTheUltimate.org was originally developed in partnership with Athletes in Action, the sports ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ, as a platform for Super Bowl coaches Tony Dungy, Lovie Smith and their players to share the important role that faith in Jesus Christ has played in their lives.  BeyondTheUltimate.org has since expanded to reach fans of a variety of sports.

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