TOMORROW’S SUNDAY

The other day I heard a wonderful and true story of the great Czech athlete and remarkable human being, Emil Zatopek. Born in 1922 Zatopek was to become the foremost long-distance runner of his generation. Nicknamed the “Czech Locomotive”, Zatopek was known for his brutally tough and technically groundbreaking training methods. He remains the only person – at the Helsinki Olympics in 1952 – to win gold medals at the 5,000 metres, 10,000 metres and (in a last minute decision to run) the marathoninthesameGames. And he was loved by his fans: “Zatopek! Zatopek! Zatopek!” they would chant, louder and louder as he rounded the final bend. In the 1960s there was another athlete, an Australian called Ron Clarke. He was a great runner and broke many records. He was passionate and trained hard. But he never had any luck with the Olympics. Injury or misfortune always seemed to get in the way. He longed to join his great hero Zatopek in the record books but never managed more than a Bronze medal in any Olympic Games. In 1968, Zatopek invited Ron Clarke to come and stay with him and his wife for a few days at their home in Prague. At the end of his stay Ron Clarke was personally escorted by Zatopek, then a great national hero, to the airport, through customs and onto the plane, introducing Clarke to the pilots as he did so. As they parted Zatopek pressed into Clarke’s hand a small package. When he opened it later on he found the gold medal which Emil Zatopek had won for the 10,000 metres in 1952. Next to it was a note. “You deserve this”, it said. We don’t deserve God’s love. But that doesn’t matter. Jesus has won the race for us by dying on the cross and forgiving us. And then has given us his “gold medal”. Given us the victory. What a gift. What amazing grace.