Article: The Unknown Saga of Olympian Eric Liddell | Prakash P Koshy

The world is watching another Olympics, but this time the event is tainted by the poor depiction of Christian faith by the ‘drag queens’, a convenient term coined by the honchos of heavily secularised society. However, the majority of the Olympics have their own golden glow and nerve-racking performances. Hundred years ago, at the Paris Olympics in 1924, Scottish athlete Eric Liddell’s dramatic feat of winning gold for 400 meters enthralled the audience. However, what truly captures our imagination is the unexpected step he took—a race he did not run.

Eric Liddell was a devout Christian and faithful servant of Jesus Christ. When he discovered that the 100-meters heats were planned for Sunday, he was at a loss. The Lord’s Day was sacred to him, so he refused to run the race on that special day; instead, Liddell delivered the Sunday sermon at the Scots Church in Paris. Liddell, the star of Britain and a brave Scot, was suddenly labelled as a ‘traitor’ for his uncompromising attitude. The press, journalists, and even members of parliament chastised him for prioritising his personal convictions over the nation’s interests. Eric stood firm in his decision despite the barrage of criticism and humiliation.

The British Olympic Committee, whose members were aware of his prowess, was prepared to enter him in the 200 meters. He earned bronze in the event but received little recognition. They then offered him a 400-meters event. This run was not about testing his physical endurance; rather, it was about demonstrating his faith in Jesus. The winning race was spectacular and mesmerising, as stated by the athlete himself: “The first half I run as fast as I can, and the second half I run faster with God’s help.” He finished in 47.6 seconds, a world record. The C.S. Lewis Institute’s web page quotes The Guardian’s report, “The victory was most popular with the crowd. Liddell’s refusal to run in the preliminary heats of the 100 metres last Sunday because of religious scruples aroused considerable curiosity, which was heightened when it was learned that he will preach in the Scotch church on Sunday. The public here are not accustomed to the idea of a man in holy orders being an athlete, and his splendid win was loudly cheered”. Eric’s victory was depicted in the 1981 Oscar winning movie ‘The Chariots of Fire’.
Liddell was born into a Scottish missionary family based in China. Reverand and Mrs. James Dunlop Liddell, London Missionary Society missionaries, raised him as their second son. When Liddell was six years old, they sent him and his elder brother Robert to London for school. Throughout his school and college years, he was interested in not just rugby and athletics but also Christian life. He holds a bachelor’s degree in science. At the peak of his career, at the age of 23, Liddell, a world-renowned sprinter and athlete, abandoned his promising athletic career to become a missionary in China, following in his parents’ footsteps. He left the safety and security of his native country to travel to China via the trans-Siberian railway. China was in upheaval at the time as communists, nationalists, and warlords fought for their share of the pie. In China, he worked as a missionary, educator, and preacher. He actively participated in athletics in China and taught native children a variety of sports.

Liddell was ordained in 1932. He married Florence Mackenzie, daughter of a Canadian missionary, in 1934. The couple had three children. When China slid into turmoil following the Japanese invasion and the onset of WWII, Liddell sent his pregnant wife and their two daughters to Canada while he remained in China, as directed by the Holy Spirit.

He shifted to more evangelical work on the North China Plain. As an itinerant missionary, he endured privation and hardship, smuggling money hidden in loaves of bread for church work, riding his bike by night to see to sufferers of a typhoid outbreak, and saving a church member from death by the Japanese at his own peril.

In 1943, he was imprisoned in a Japanese internment camp at Weihsien alongside 1800 other Europeans. Among them were 300 children. Liddell seized the opportunity to serve the children. Many of the prisoners fell into gloom due to the meagre meals, frequent outbreaks of epidemics, and horrendous camp conditions. However, Liddell lit the candle of hope, love, and forgiveness in the dark alleys of the prison camp.
Liddell would give away his meals to others, chastising those who hoarded and encouraging them to share. He assisted the elderly, led Bible studies, taught science, and organised athletic and sporting events to motivate the internees, particularly the youngsters in the prison camp. Liddell worked tirelessly at the camp and was beloved by everyone. The campers affectionately called him “Uncle Eric”. After enduring two years of hardship in the camp, Liddell fell ill and received hospital admission. Subsequently, he passed away in February 1945, nearly five months prior to the camp’s liberation. An autopsy indicated that Liddell died from a brain tumour. He was 43 at the time of his death. Eric Liddell ran the race well, though his life span was short. C. S. Lewis Institute’s webpage concludes Liddell’s life story with a dramatic information: “Scotland wouldn’t see another gold medal until 1980, when Allan Wells won the 100 meters, the race that Liddell refused to run on Sunday. Just after his victory, Wells stated simply, “That one’s for Eric Liddell.”

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