Eric Henry Liddell (also known as Li Airui or Li Dai’er) was born on January 16, 1902, in Tianjin, China, as the second of four siblings. Both his parents were Scots; his father, Reverend James Dunlop Liddell, was a missionary with the London Missionary Society and came to China in 1899. In March 1907, Liddell returned to Scotland to study, while his parents stayed in China with his sister, Jeannie, to continue their mission work. During his time in school, Liddell developed a deep passion for sports, excelling in cricket and rugby. He captained the school’s cricket and rugby teams and was named Athlete of the Year. After graduating from Eltham College, he enrolled at the University of Edinburgh in February 1921, majoring in science. While at university, Liddell’s extraordinary athletic talent shone through, achieving outstanding results in various competitions. He was a key player on the university’s rugby team. Recognising his sprinting talent, British athletics coach Tom McKerchar guided him onto the track, where Liddell continued to win numerous accolades. In 1923, at the British Championships, he won gold medals in both the 100 yards and 200 yards, setting a new British record of 9.7 seconds in the 100 yards, earning him the title of the “Flying Scotsman.” He described his love for sprinting, saying, “God made me fast. When I run, I feel His pleasure.” As a young athlete, Liddell was selected for the British national track team, with many anticipating his success at the Olympics.
In July 1924, the Summer Olympics were held in Paris. Liddell was chosen to represent Britain in the 100-metre sprint. However, when he received the schedule, he discovered that the 100-metre race was scheduled for Sunday. Being a devout Christian, Liddell refused to compete, as he believed Sunday was a day of rest and worship for God. Despite suggestions that he could attend morning worship and compete in the afternoon, and even pressure from the British royal family to run for national pride, Liddell insisted that the entire Sunday was devoted to God. He believed that the talents God gave him should first and foremost glorify God, not the king or the country.
Liddell’s decision sparked widespread criticism and dissatisfaction, with many believing he was certain to win the gold medal in the 100 metres for Britain. The British media even accused him of betraying his country. As a Christian, Liddell was fiercely competitive, believing in the Bible’s instruction to “not neglect your gift” (1 Timothy 4:14). He felt God’s pleasure whenever he ran and wanted to glorify God through his running. However, he refused to use “running for the Lord” as an excuse to sacrifice Sunday worship, demonstrating his strong sense of priorities and adherence to principles. His belief that “God First” was unwavering, trusting that putting God first would result in receiving the best from God. Everything he had, including his running ability, came from God. He also believed that God, who owns everything, didn’t need him to win medals or prizes. God was the “ultimate prize” Liddell sought in life. Thus, Liddell’s remarkable life was rooted in honouring God, starting with honouring the Sabbath and keeping it holy.
Due to Liddell’s persistence, the British Olympic Committee petitioned the Olympic Council to change the race schedule, but to no avail. The committee had no choice but to replace Liddell with his Jewish teammate Harold Abrahams for the 100-metre race. Before the race, Liddell sincerely prayed for Abrahams, who went on to win the gold medal in the 100 metres.
The British Olympic Committee then arranged for Liddell to compete in other events not scheduled on Sunday, including the 200 metres and the 400 metres, an event in which Liddell was neither experienced nor favoured. On July 9, Liddell won a bronze medal in the 200-metre final with a time of 21.9 seconds. In the 400-metre heats on July 11, American athlete Horatio Fitch broke the Olympic record with a time of 47.8 seconds, while Liddell won his heat with a time of 48.2 seconds, leaving many doubting his chances in the final. Just a few hours before the 400-metre final, Liddell was in pain from sore muscles and had drawn the disadvantageous outermost lane. Feeling as though he might collapse, a therapist from his team handed Liddell a note that read: “Those who honour me I will honour.” This verse from 1 Samuel 2:30 renewed Liddell’s spirit, and with a fresh resolve, he stepped onto the track.
On the afternoon of July 11, under the summer sun, the stadium was filled with anticipation as the Queen’s Scottish Bagpipe Band played for Liddell. As the starter raised his gun, the stadium fell silent. When the gun fired, Liddell sprinted with his unique windmill style—swinging his arms wide, lifting his knees high, leaning back with his face to the sky—racing like the wind toward the finish line. Crossing the line, he spread his arms wide, as if surrendering everything to God. Liddell not only won the gold medal in the 400-metre final, but also set a world record with a time of 47.6 seconds. Afterward, he said, “I got my strength from God; it is God who enabled me to run.” He wanted the world to see God’s glory and to see that God indeed blesses those who fear Him. This unexpected gold medal silenced his critics and transformed British media attitudes. Upon returning home, Liddell became a national hero, awarded an olive crown, and his story became a legend in Olympic history.
After the 1924 Olympics, Liddell graduated from university. On July 16, 1924, he donned the green scarf and black bachelor’s gown of the science faculty and received his Bachelor of Science degree. That same year, at the age of 23, Liddell enjoyed all the honours of an Olympic champion. If he had chosen to become a professional athlete, his future would have been limitless. However, at the peak of his earthly glory, Liddell, recognised as one of Scotland’s most beloved athletes, chose not to use his running talent for personal fame. Instead, he made a resolute decision to fulfil his commitment to serving God, changing the course of his life by setting off for war-torn China as a missionary.
When the news broke, a local Glasgow newspaper published a cartoon of Liddell running in shorts and a vest, with a clerical collar around his neck. The caption read: “He has started a different race for China; with his mind resolute, he presses on as he did in the Olympics. The result is not yet known, but we are confident he will finish, for speed is his.” The cartoon captured the mixed feelings of the townspeople toward his decision, but also conveyed their good wishes.
For Liddell, however, his real race was not on the track but in China’s mission field. This new course tested him far beyond anything he had known. It was a greater race, one without medals or applause from the crowd. His stage shifted from the world-famous Olympic arena to the remote countryside of China, where missionaries faced discrimination and the work was full of challenges. This Olympic hero willingly gave up the fame and fortune he could have pursued, choosing instead to “disappear” in a foreign land, dedicating his life to accompanying and serving the people of China, demonstrating the love of Jesus Christ.
In the summer of 1925, after his last race in Scotland, Liddell resolutely left behind his privileged life, giving up the fame of being an Olympic gold medalist, and returned to his birthplace—Tianjin, China. There, he began a nearly 20-year teaching career at the Tientsin Anglo-Chinese College (now Tianjin No. 17 High School).
The Tientsin Anglo-Chinese College was founded in 1902 by British missionary Dr. Lavington Harte. An excellent physicist and educator, Harte had been educated at the Sorbonne in Paris, St. John’s College in Cambridge, and the University of London. In 1892, he left his well-paid profession to become a missionary with the London Missionary Society and soon came to China, where he founded the Tientsin Anglo-Chinese College. By the time Liddell arrived in Tianjin, Harte was 67 years old and still serving as the school’s principal. The college had become a top-tier missionary school, attracting many prominent families, including the sons of Yuan Shikai, to study there. The school had a rigorous hiring process for teachers, requiring Liddell to pass an exam and sign a pledge before being accepted. He also had to complete an internship in a poor rural area in Shandong, pass a subsequent oral exam, and spend a year studying Chinese at Yenching University in Beijing before finally taking up his teaching post at the college.
During his time as a teacher, Eric Liddell primarily taught mathematics, chemistry, natural science, and the Bible, along with his speciality, physical education. He also participated in some missionary work. Liddell poured his athletic spirit entirely into education and evangelism, full of energy and vitality. At the beginning of his teaching career, he was only 24 years old and at the peak of his athletic abilities. In addition to teaching, he always set aside time for running training and occasionally participated in regional competitions. He organized football teams, track and field teams, and Bible study groups at the school and often led students to play tennis on the court in front of his house, inspiring a passion for sports among the local youth.
Liddell sincerely hoped that the poor and underdeveloped China could develop rapidly, and he devoted all his energy to cultivating talent. He required his students to excel both academically and physically, not only to study well but also to maintain strong health. He recommended and sent high-achieving students to study at the University of London in the UK. He cared deeply for the students at the school, often talking with them and helping with their studies, sports, or other family issues. His unique teaching methods, approachable demeanor, and the Christian love he showed towards the students made him one of the most popular teachers at the school.
Due to Liddell’s fame in the global sports arena and his extensive experience in competitions, the British Municipal Council of the Tianjin Concession invited him in 1925 to participate in the renovation of the Minyuan Stadium. He used Stamford Bridge in London (now Chelsea’s home ground) as a reference to design and plan a standardised sports stadium. He also made a series of advanced recommendations for improvements, such as track structure, lighting, and the layout of the stands. Under his planning and supervision, the Minyuan Stadium was transformed into a leading comprehensive sports venue in Asia at the time and became one of the best stadiums with a running track. In this venue, Liddell trained many young Chinese athletes, including Wu Bixian, a versatile high jumper who later settled in the United States and became one of the few Chinese athletes at that time who could participate in the Olympics.
… to be continued
translated by Elder Liu Kerh Li