It’s a story made famous by an Oscar-winning film called “Chariots of Fire.” Scottish sprinter Eric Liddell was representing Great Britain in the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris. He was expected to win the 100-meter race, his best event. But when he learned that the qualifying heat would be held on a Sunday, the Sabbath, he declined to compete, drawing much criticism from members of Parliament, the press, and the public.

What happened next had the storybook ending that Hollywood loves. Entered in the 400-meter race, he drew the outside lane, considered to be the worst because the runner can’t see the challengers coming up behind. And yet Eric stunned the world, winning the gold medal in record time. He went from being hated to a hero with a name known ‘round the world.

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But that was only Part 1 of Eric’s remarkable story. What happened in Part 2 would stun the world again.

(Photo courtesy of The Eric Liddell 100)

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In the years leading up to his medal moment, Eric had become well-known in Scotland because of his athletic achievements as a university student. DP Thomson, leader of an interdenominational student organization, asked him to speak about the integration of sports and his faith. Though Eric did not consider himself a speaker, he accepted and was soon sharing his testimony around the country.

Years later, at a memorial service for Eric, DP quoted Matthew 5:16, saying that Eric let his light shine for the glory of God. Eric’s purpose — what he was designed to do — was to be light. His calling — where he was called to do it — was two-fold: first, to be light in the competitive world of sports, then to hurting souls on the other side of the world.

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Eric was born in Tientsin, China, to Scottish missionaries. At age 5, he and his family went to Scotland on furlough. Eric and his brother, Rob, did not return to China but were enrolled in a school for sons of missionary parents.

Later he attended the University of Edinburgh, majoring in pure science and making a name for himself on the rugby pitch — good enough for the national team. But teammates noticed he was exceptionally fast and encouraged him to try track. He did and began setting records and endearing himself to the British people, the media, even his competitors.

At the starting line, Eric was known for shaking hands with the other runners and genuinely wishing them well, before leaving them in the dust on his way to the finish line. Although his Olympic win was shared in the film, what stunned the world next was only hinted at in the credits.

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Following the Olympics, Eric continued to compete and share his testimony. There were many more medals in his future. But on June 29, 1925 — 100 years ago this week — he left his fame, potential fortune, and beloved Scotland behind to answer his second calling: becoming a missionary to China.

He served first as a science teacher and sports coach at a mission school in Tientsin. On his first furlough back to Scotland, he was ordained a minister, having completed his training.

Returning to China, he married Florence MacKenzie, a nurse whose Canadian parents also were missionaries. They soon started a family, welcoming daughters Patricia and Heather. At the same time, infighting among political parties in China and an invasion by Japan made the country a dangerous place to be. Despite that, Eric was asked to serve without his family at a rural mission closely watched by Japanese soldiers.

(Photo courtesy of The Eric Liddell 100)

With the Pacific now part of World War II, Eric put his wife and daughters on a ship to Canada, where they would be safe. Florence was pregnant at the time with their third daughter, Maureen, whom Eric would never see.

Eric had expected to join the family within a year, but things in China worsened. He and 2,000 expatriates were sent to an internment camp run by the Japanese. Living conditions were poor, but during the two years there, Eric lifted the spirits of his fellow internees by serving as preacher, teacher, counselor, sports organizer — and doing whatever needed to be done. He particularly loved the young people.

American John Hoyte, 92, was a child in the camp with Eric. “We used to call him ‘Uncle Eric’ because he was so involved with us kids … he organized games … he was really involved with children and that was remarkable.”

Hoyte says that Eric immediately put the kids to ease. “We thought, ‘Wow, this guy is an Olympic runner’ — but it didn’t matter at all to him. He liked to almost downplay the Olympic medal because he didn’t want to make that the symbol for who he was, and you could tell it by the way he lived for others and how he cared for us kids.”

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On Feb. 21, 1945, the world would be stunned by Eric one last time. Just five months before the camp was liberated, he died at age 43 of an undetected brain tumor. The simple grave in which he was buried has been replaced, along with the camp, by a memorial that today honors a great Christian role model.

From a human perspective, Eric’s life was cut short. But while he was here, he patterned his walk of faith after someone whose own life seemed short — just 33 years.

Christ had a mission. He said, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10, NKJV). Eric Liddell lived that life. He ran a lot of races, one ending with a gold medal around his neck. But in the end, after a life of both honors and hardships, he earned an even greater reward and could say, like the apostle Paul, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7, NKJV).

His example can encourage us to do the same.

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Mart Martin is a US Ambassador for The Eric Liddell 100.

A new webcast produced by the C.S. Lewis Institute about Eric’s time in China is available via its YouTube page. It brings the story to life through interviews with people who were there, including his daughter, Patricia Liddell Russell. Free resources for parents, pastors, small group leaders, and educators to teach others about Eric also can be found at EricLiddell.org.

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