‘Faith in God has taught me that, with or without a medal, I’m loved just as I am’

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.

“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”.

 

 

 

 

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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.

Ogunyele, who will be at the Paris Olympics, sings gospel music with other believers

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”.