Amanda.Greene@ReligionNews.com

You don't think of religion right away when you think of the Olympics, though the first games in Greece were set to honor Zeus, king of the gods.

Afterall, sports is not supposed to be about one's choice of faith but how quickly you can cut through the water toward the finish, how fast you can run 100 meters or how perfectly you can stick a summersault landing, right?

But some athletes have been talking a little more openly about how their faith helps them endure and succeed on the road to the Olympics and the crush of fame during the London summer games.

Women's gymnastics gold medalist Gabby Douglas spoke of the comfort she derives from reading the Bible, saying: "I’ve been meditating on scriptures saying 'be confident in this'. And, you know, the Bible really helps me so I was very confident."

Muslim fans were rooting for the most pregnant woman to compete in Olympics history, Nur Suryani Mohammed Taibi who was eight months pregnant when she competed in the 10mm air rifle shooting contest. Her fans said Malaysian Muslim mother-to-be symbolized empowerment.

Do you admire any of the Olympic athletes for their dedication or expression of their faiths? Does the faith of the athlete cross your mind when you're watching them flip through the air or cut through the water?