Canada's Cindy Klassen, a Christian, Takes Olympic Bronze in Women's 3000m

Shirley Byers / Aimee Herd reporting : Feb 13, 2006
Living Light News, Canadian Christianity

Winnipeg native, Cindy Klassen has had her sights set on the Olympics for a long time, but not always as a speed skater. Back in 1998, Klassen had tried out to be a part of Canada's Olympic hockey team. When she didn't make the team, her parents suggested trying speed skating, says the report in Canadian Christianity.

Although she had held a hockey stick since the young age of five, speed skating was a challenge at first for Klassen - getting used to the "strange long-bladed skates" and the "skin-tight outfits" took some time.

But in 2002, her re-focus paid off when Cindy Klassen took home a bronze medal for Canada in the women's 3000m, in Salt Lake City. At the time, Klassen said she realized that not competing with the hockey team was by the Lord's design. "God was leading me," she said. "This was His plan all along. I learned by getting cut."

Klassen added, "Even when you want things . . . if it's not in God's will, it's not going to happen. I've learned to go along with that."

Yesterday (Feb. 12), the Canadian speed skater once again found herself standing on the podium, representing her country, as she received another bronze medal for the 3000m race in Torino. Klassen came in third with a time of 4:04.37s.

Speaking earlier to a reporter, Klassen said, "Right now in speed skating I'm having the time of my life, but I have to be ready to move on if [God] wants me to do something else. It's my relationship with Jesus that gives me true significance."