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“I’ve looked forward to running for Cedarville most of my
life,” she shared. “To finally be on the team, it’s very exciting.”
GOD’S PLAN
Norman was born without her left foot and ankle and her
right big toe due to an amniotic band disorder. Because of the
condition, fetal parts in the womb, such as fingers, toes, and
limbs, are caught in fibrous bands, and amputated.
A team of her dad’s engineering students developed an
early swim foot prosthetic for Norman when she was 9 years
old. Since then, she has graduated to prosthetic limbs that
have propelled her beyond laps in a pool to the gold medal
stand.
“I’m very grateful for my prosthetic,” Norman affirmed. “If
I would have not been born like this, I probably wouldn’t have
been given these opportunities to compete on a world stage
and share my faith with others. God had this plan for my life
all along.”
Hard work and dedication are integral to an athlete’s life.
For Norman, she has the extra motivation of knowing this is
God’s course. “He has a reason and plan for me,” she said,
“and I have to trust that His plan is perfect for my life.”
INSPIRING EXAMPLE
While Norman understands the gravity of what she
accomplished in Rio, she was also a little stunned by the
response. “I’ve definitely been surprised,” she offered. “I
knew a lot of people were supporting me, but the amount of
congratulatory feedback has been amazing, whether it was
just my hometown, my teammates, or people I don’t even
know who were touched by my achievement.”
Little girls have approached Norman and told her she
has encouraged them to run cross country. Others have been
inspired to face their own challenges. And her counsel to
them? “Don’t let anything in life stop you, whether disabilities,
or circumstances,” she said. “God placed those in your life to
grow you and challenge you, not to stop you.”
RAISED PLATFORM
Since her accomplishments in Rio, her platform to share
Christ has grown exponentially. It started with innumerable
newspaper, online, and television reports, and continued with
Facebook and Instagram. “I give glory to God in my social
media posts,” Norman said.
And there was that invitation to the nation’s capital. On
September 29, 2016, Norman, along with other U.S. Olympic
and Paralympic medalists, was invited to the White House
where she was congratulated personally by the president and
first lady.
Back home in Ohio, and also in Utah, where she trains,
doors opened for her to speak with elementary and high
school students. “Sometimes I’ll focus more on my work
ethic, and sometimes more on the actual race in Rio,” she
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Cedarville Magazine