Ashton Eaton wins Olympic decathlon gold medal

Although he didn’t break the Olympic record or his own world record, Ashton Eaton did something even more important by winning the decathlon at the London Olympics. He brought the sport back to life. Eaton accumulated 8,869 points in the 10-event competition and outpaced fellow American Trey Hardee who won the silver medal with 8,671 points.

While not overt about his faith, Eaton was a faithful churchgoer at Christian Life Center in Bend, Ore., while attending the University of Oregon.

“I won’t back down,” Eaton told ESPN The Magazine. “I get a satisfaction from being tested and defeating the test."