Eric Liddell – Chasing something more

The American stars laughed themselves silly when the Chinese-born rugby player threw back his head and raged from the back of the pack toward the finish line at the Paris Olympics. This wasn’t even Eric Liddell’s race to run. He was a sprinter, and the 440 wasn’t designed for a man clawing at the air and chewing up the yards with his loping stride. The chase was on for the man labeled “the ugliest runner on the planet.”

His parents were Scottish missionaries in Tianjin, China, but Eltham College, a South London boarding school, trained him through life from the age of six. In later years, he was awarded the Blackheath Cup for being the athlete of the year and captained his rugby and cricket teams. His extended family and university training anchored in Edinburgh. Raising his face to the heavens, he told his sister, “I feel his pleasure when I run.”

The world chases after heroes, even as those heroes chase after fame, glory, and wealth. Eric was as far from that kind of hero as you can get. It was clear early that Eric was chasing something more than accolades. A coach described him as a man “without vanity.” When the final for the Olympic race he was favoured for was scheduled on Sunday, he refused to run. No amount of pressure could dissuade him. On his knees, he bowed himself to the one whose honour he desired. The 200 and 400 meters were still options, but he also said no to the 200 and 400 relays because they were scheduled on Sunday.

From his fame as the fastest runner in Scotland, Eric chased men’s souls. Newspapers heralded his triumphs in amateur athletics, but he joined the Glasgow Students’ Evangelistic Union and spoke his heart out to draw the young men of the area to Christ. He starred in Scotland’s international rugby caps in wins over Ireland, France, and Wales and was inducted into the Scottish Rugby Hall of Fame. But he wasn’t primarily chasing rugby balls or tries.

He had set a British record in his favoured race that wouldn’t be beaten for 23 years, but he still refused to run in the Olympics because of the day the race was set on. One hundred years after winning the race he shouldn’t have won, his university awarded him an honourary doctorate, recognizing his contribution to humanity and sport. Gyms and facilities would one day carry his name, but he would never know any of that. His exploits would be lauded in movies he would never see.

Before the race, a masseuse chased him down and handed him a Bible verse. I Samuel 2:30. “Those who honour me, I will honour.” The inspiration of that word from his heavenly coach surged through his heart as he sprinted the entire race for the win.

With gold medal firmly in hand, having set world and Olympic records, Liddell joined his father back in China for missionary work. Before setting off for China, he would run one final set of races where he set records in the 100-, 220-, and 440-yard races. He fell in love with a Canadian missionary, saw two of his three daughters born, but sent them back to Canada when Japanese aggression grew stronger.

He dismissed his brother Rob to get some rest and stood in his place. He was interned and busied himself teaching Bible classes, games and science. Fellow prisoners who survived would later call him a saint, a gentleman, and someone who never said a bad thing about anyone else.

In 1945, Eric Liddell died of a brain tumor while confined in a Japanese internment camp. China would recognize his birth and death in their country and list him as their first Olympic champion. A statue now stands in the place where he passed away, but that fame and glory was never something he chased. He had written a book for his students in the camp on surrendering to God’s will. He had modelled that all his life. The Chinese would later claim that Eric declined his place in a prisoner exchange and gave his freedom to a pregnant woman instead.

He chased a crown not offered on earth and felt the pleasure of his Christ at the finish line. He had fought the good fight, run the race, and kept the faith. The inscription on his headstone reads. “They shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary.”