Olympic Athletes Lean on Faith Ahead of Winter Games

Catholic and Christian athletes share how their beliefs guide them as they compete on the world's biggest stage.

Published on Feb. 4, 2026

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Ahead of the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, several Christian and Catholic athletes from Team USA are speaking about the role their faith plays in their athletic journeys. Figure skater Maxim Naumov, bobsledder Jadin O'Brien, and hockey player Britta Curl-Salemme are among those who have discussed how their beliefs provide them strength, perspective, and a platform to glorify God, even in the midst of personal tragedies.

Why it matters

As some of the nation's top winter sports athletes prepare to compete on the global stage, their willingness to openly discuss their Christian and Catholic faith provides an inspiring example of how belief can guide and sustain elite athletes. Their stories also highlight how faith can help athletes navigate the challenges, pressures, and personal losses that can come with competing at the Olympic level.

The details

Several Team USA athletes have shared how their Catholic and Christian faith is central to their lives and athletic pursuits. Hockey player Britta Curl-Salemme said her faith provides "something steady and consistent" that she can rely on, including attending Mass weekly. Bobsledder Jadin O'Brien, a former track and field star, said she makes the sign of the cross before competitions and that "athletics has made my faith stronger." Figure skater Maxim Naumov, who qualified for the Olympics after tragically losing his parents, has leaned on the support and Christian witness of his teammate Spencer Howe. Alpine skier Sam Morse founded a Christian ski camp, while biathlete Paul Schommer has emphasized that his "identity doesn't come from my results" but from his "identity in Christ."

  • The 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics will take place from February 6-22, 2026.
  • Naumov qualified for the Olympic team after competing at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in St. Louis on January 10, 2026.

The players

Britta Curl-Salemme

A member of the U.S. Women's Hockey Team who has discussed the central role her Catholic faith plays in her life and athletic career.

Jadin O'Brien

A member of the U.S. Bobsled team who previously was a three-time track and field national champion at the University of Notre Dame, and has said "athletics has made my faith stronger."

Maxim Naumov

A U.S. Figure Skating team member who qualified for the Olympics after tragically losing his parents, former Olympic pair skaters, in a plane crash.

Sam Morse

A U.S. Alpine skier who will compete in the downhill and Super G events, and who co-founded a Christian ski racing camp.

Paul Schommer

A member of the U.S. Biathlon team competing in his second Olympics, who has emphasized that his "identity doesn't come from my results" but from his "identity in Christ."

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What they’re saying

“I think my life would be pretty chaotic and stressful if I didn't have something steady and consistent that I can go back to that I drew strength from, and that's my Catholic faith.”

— Britta Curl-Salemme, U.S. Hockey Player (OSV News)

“Before every track meet, I take some holy water on my thumb and I make the sign of the cross on each location where I will be competing. Athletics has made my faith stronger because I rely on it so much before and while I compete.”

— Jadin O'Brien, U.S. Bobsled Team Member (Milwaukee Catholic Herald)

“God put me here for a specific reason and I don't think it's just to win medals. At the end of the day, I'm in this sport to glorify God, so if that means I come in last place or I win the gold medal, that's what I'm going to do.”

— Elana Meyers Taylor (2014 Interview)

“God is good.”

— Maxim Naumov, U.S. Figure Skater (After Earning Olympic Spot)

“My faith is my life. It is the glue that holds it all together. My goal is to be a loyal servant of my Savior and proclaim his name from the highest mountains.”

— Sam Morse, U.S. Alpine Skier (2017 Interview)

What’s next

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The takeaway

These stories of Christian and Catholic athletes using their Olympic platform to share their faith provide an inspiring example of how belief can guide and sustain elite athletes, even in the face of personal tragedy and the immense pressures of competing on the world's biggest stage.