German shot putter Yemisi Ogunleye wins silver in the Glasgow World Championship. She told the media about the Bible verses that give her strength and her love for gospel music: “All the glory be to Jesus”.
Yemisi Ogunyele speaks to the media after winning the silver medal in the Indoor World Athletics Championship in Glasgow 2024. / Image: Video capture [link]ARD[/link].
The 2024 Indoor World Athletics Championship in Glasgow (Scotland) finished on 3 April with two world records and many great performances.
Among them, was the exercise of Yemisi Ogunleye, a 25-year-old shot putter who won the silver medal beating other favourites. With her personal best 20,19 meters, she came within three centimetres of becoming world champion.
[destacate]“Knowing that God has prepared a way that I can just walk makes me thankful”[/destacate]Talking to German broadcaster ARD in the stadium, Yemisi Ogunleye thanked all those who have supported her and repeatedly alluded to her Christian faith.“I have read my Bible this morning and there is a verse that encourages me, which says: ‘be strong and courageous’. That was deep in my heart, and with that message I came out to give everything in my first attempt, without fear. I am incredibly thankful”.
Asked about the role of faith in her life, Ogunleye added: “My faith strengthens me as I know that God has a plan with me”. The athlete said she has gone through much “self-doubt” as she suffered from two knee injuries in the past. For that reason, “knowing that God has prepared a way that I can just walk makes me thankful, so all the glory be to Jesus”.
Yemisi Ogunleye is a member of a church and sings in a gospel choir in Karlsruhe. She even sang a line of one of her favourite songs during the interview, which also referred to the verse in Joshua 1:9.
[destacate]Ogunyele, who will be at the Paris Olympics, sings gospel music with other believers[/destacate]That encouragement to be bold and have faith also helped this the German-born daughter of a Nigeran father and a German mother when she suffered mobbing and racism in the past. For her, she said in the interview, faith helped “to know that I am good just as a I am, and I am loved just as I am. With a medal or without a medal, I am valuable, it does not matter if I have a light or a dark colour of skin”.
In the months ahead, Ogunleye will take part in the European Championships and in the 2024 Olympic Games of Paris.
Yemisi Ogunleye has 15,000 followers on Instagram, where her profile bio reads: “Not I, but Jesus in me”.
[analysis]
[title]One more year[/title]
[photo][/photo]
[text]At Evangelical Focus, we have a sustainability challenge ahead. We invite you to join those across Europe and beyond who are committed with our mission. Together, we will ensure the continuity of Evangelical Focus and Protestante Digital (Spanish) in 2024.
Learn all about our #OneMoreYearEF campaign here (English).
[/text][/analysis]
Las opiniones vertidas por nuestros colaboradores se realizan a nivel personal, pudiendo coincidir o no con la postura de la dirección de Protestante Digital.
Si quieres comentar o