"God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast and when I run, I feel his pleasure."

Eric Liddell in Chariots of Fire

A decade in pictures

When my 16 years at Christians in Sport came to an abrupt end, I had no idea where life would take me. By 2009 I had set up Verite Sport and was beginning to set goals and direction. The first decade of the third millennium AD has proved to be the most amazing ten years. I am grateful to God and to those who have believed in me and supported me. I am attempting to sum up ten years in 10 photographs.

1 World Athletics Championships

In 2009 I went to the World Athletics Championships for the first time. 2019 was my sixth World Championship. In 2009 I knew three Christian athletes in the event; in 2019 fifty.

The 2015 Worlds afforded a quick visit to the great wall with Jules Wilkinson and Christine Bowmaker

2 Olympics

Attending the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Olympics has been a great privilege, 2012 and 2016 as the Togo Olympic Attaché, a role with gave me full access to the Olympic village – and some nice shirts!

3 Commonwealth Games

I attended three Commonwealth Games as accredited media, supported athletes and encouraged chaplains.

Delhi welcome 2010

4 Bahamas

I have attended towards 100 athletics events in the decade, not all in as nice locations as the World Relays in Bahamas 2017. Writing about athletics gives access to athletes and has helped develop relationships.

The event hotel, Bahamas

5 Disability Sport

Verité Sport has been committed to Disability sport, which is often neglected. Tokyo 2020 will be my third Paralympics; 2019 was my fourth IPC World (Disability) Athletics Championships.

With South African Paralympian, Fanie van der Merwe

6 The Vatican

I have been able to accept invitations to three sports conferences at the Vatican and I keep in touch with the two main Vatican officials who have responsibility for sport.

An amazing venue for a conference dinner, the Vatican Museum

7 Royal Family

Prince Harry has had some bad publicity of late. When I met him at the 2010 Football World Cup and asked him if he would mind a photo with one of the hostesses, he could not have been more helpful. At the London 2012 Olympics, I had an animated discussion with Princess Anne about sport in Britain.

Prince Harry and hostess, Jess Klazinga

8 Togo

I visited Togo seven times, supporting a girls’ football team. Over the years the Football Association has given us 1000s of pieces of surplus football kit which has been sent to Togo and about 20 other countries around the world. British Athletics has also given us some of their surplus.

Les Amis du Monde in England kit

9 Twickenham

On a visit to a media open day at Twickenham, I found myself playing touch rugby with Martin Johnson, the then England head coach. Sadly, I was not selected for any of this squads.

Prince Harry and hostess, Jess Klazinga

10 Athletics Bible Studies

The first “church” was team GB was held in 2012 and first Diamond League Bible Study in 2014. In 2019 we held 24 Bible Studies with 75 different athletes attending at least once.

Stockholm, one of the many Diamond League cities where we have met

See a fuller of selection of Verite Sport images

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