Eric Liddell Biography

Eric Henry Liddell was a Scottish athlete, rugby player and a famous missionary. He is most famously known as the winner of the men's 400 meters at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris. The son of Scottish missionaries in China, Liddell was born and spent some of his childhood in China, before settling in England for his education. He was known as a brilliant sportsman in his school and college. After learning Pure Science from University of Edinburgh and side by side taking part in races and rugby matches, Liddell ran in 400 meters at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris and made a world record in the process. But athletics was not the true calling of his life - he left all the fame and glory to serve as a missionary in China, just like his parents. He became a schoolteacher there to teach and spread the word of God. Liddell was the one who sacrificed his life for the emancipation of China during its worst time - the Japanese invasion of China in 1937. His life is an example of love, sacrifice and true humanity, he lived for the gold far greater than the Olympics gold - the gold of being able to bring change into people’s lives.