Greater Than Gold: From Olympic Heartbreak to Ultimate Redemption

by David Boudia, Tim Ellsworth (Primary Contributor)

One of America’s most heralded young divers, David Boudia twice went for Olympic gold, training obsessively and whole-heartedly for success. In his first Olympics, he failed miserably, not winning a single medal. Four years later saw a different he mounted the podium twice, winning both gold and bronze. The difference? In the intervening years, he’d changed the focus of his quest from seeking glory for himself to giving glory to God. In Greater Than Gold , Boudia provides a behind-the-scenes access to the rarefied world of world-class athletics while also showing readers that when they place their hope in God, they receive what they’ve been seeking all along.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Christian, Memoir, Sports, Biography Memoir, Faith

208 pages, Hardcover

Published August 2, 2016

About the author

David Boudia is an Olympic champion, a gold-medalist at the 2012 London Olympics and winner of multiple world championship medals. Winner of six NCAA national titles at Purdue University and winner of five medals in the 2012 FINA Diving World Series, Boudia was the first American male since 1986 to medal in the 10m platform at a World Championship. He lives with his wife and daughter in West Lafayette, IN

Reviews

[mary liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't read nonfiction very often, but this book makes me think I should.

To be perfectly honest, I wasn't sure what to expect when I started reading this. I've been a big admirer of David Boudia since I first saw him in the Olympics this summer, so I thought it would be cool to read a little more about him and his faith.

But this book wasn't just a regular, slightly-dry biography. It did take me a couple chapters to really adapt to reading nonfiction, but I soon found myself whisked away on David's journey. The struggles he faced leading up to his salvation and yes, even afterward, were relatable in many senses. I obviously haven't been in the same situations as he has, but seeing "famous people" like him going through hardships and struggles was an encouragement to me. It lets me know that I'm not alone. And not only that, but David shares amazing lessons that God taught him through his failures and victories. Specifically, not living by your emotions. That's one thing I personally deal with a lot. But as David puts so well, "We have to be guided not by how we feel but by what we know to be right. More important than our feelings is what Christ thinks, and how we can make our thoughts and actions glorify him."

Did I enjoy this book? Absolutely. I wasn't expecting such a powerful, touching story when I picked up this book. But I can honestly say that it came to me at the perfect moment in my life. It challenged me, probed deep into the parts of my heart that I wanted to cover up. Peeling back the scales, it brought me closer to God and instilled in me a desire to strengthen my spiritual walk.

All I have to say is: wow.

[Tori Samar · Rating 4 out of 5]

"You can take the gold medal away from me. You can take my health and my career. You can take my particular church. And as much as I love them, you can take my friends and my family. If all I have is Jesus, then Jesus is enough. It’s a scary thought, yes, but true. He is worth every sacrifice you may have to make. He is worth every struggle in this life you may have."

If you've ever seen athletes interviewed in the afterglow of victory, you've probably heard many give their token thanks and glory to God. Years ago, I remember watching David Boudia be interviewed during Olympic competition. He turned his interview toward God as well, but in a way that said to me, "This is the real deal." So I guess you might say that reading his memoir confirmed my initial impressions.

Although this book will give you some insight into the sport of diving and the life of an Olympic athlete, its main focus and greatest strength is revealing David Boudia's spiritual journey. The gods of fame, wealth, pleasure, ease, Olympic gold, etc., for whom David sacrificed so much failed him utterly. Thankfully, he was shown the way to the One in whom there is fullness of joy.

Ideally, I would have liked this book to be a bit more well-written. The writing style is overly simplistic at times. However, I think the story of David's spiritual transformation more than makes up for those deficiencies.

[Ruthe Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Today I’m personally sorry the Olympics have been moved to 2021. After reading “Greater Than Gold,” I have a personal interest – and it’s because of the author David Boudia. David has already earned 4 Olympic medals in diving. There’s a good chance he will compete again in 2021 in Tokyo, and now I can’t wait.

As you would think, David’s story describes the life of an Olympic champion and all the intensity it entails with many years of training and competitions. Such a life can take a toll on a person’s emotional side. David’s life was centered on taking care of number 1, which also meant major sacrifices for his entire family. David tells of the struggle and of the reality that winning is never enough, instead it produces an insatiable desire for more wins, more medals, and basically a driving desire for more fame and adoration.

While still in college, David also looked for fulfillment in the party life. With all that he had going for him, he still felt empty, almost suicidal. He ended up reaching out to his coach, who led David to the Lord. It wasn’t overnight, but through prayer and reading his Bible (especially the book of John) and other books such as The Cross-Centered Life by C.J. Mahaney, he surrendered his life and his will to his Savior Jesus.

David came to realize that to be a champion in this life was to love God and love others. He was able to handle his great Olympic achievements because his goal was no longer fame and adoration, He came to “ to use defeat or success to be more like Jesus.” Wow, that’s profound truth.

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let's just get this out of the way: I am both a Christian and an Olympics junkie. As such, I was predisposed to like this book. And I did like it. It was a quick, easy read, but I was happy to find that David Boudia's understanding of what it means to be a Christian seems to be well grounded in Biblical truth. I had no idea until I was watching the synchro diving at the Rio Olympics that he was a Christian, but I remember watching him dive in London and being very excited when he won (see above comment about me being an Olympics junkie). All in all, it was an enjoyable book. I'd give it 3.5 stars if Goodreads would let me, but since I can't, I'm rounding up based on the fact that it kept my attention well.

[V Luttrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book refreshing. I do not do a lot with sports or Olympics but my family does so they will all be reading this book after me. I for one loved how it focused on God. This book about Olympian David Boudia captured my attention since my father is big on swimming and even won some medals

[Dan Pan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was my quadrennial Olympic obsession during the 2024 Paris Olympics this summer. Somehow, I came across an older YouTube video of David giving an interview, in which he gives God all the glory for his success. The reason he competes and dives, he said, was to glorify God. That impressed me.

So I decided to listen to his book and I throughly enjoyed it. Reference to God was in every chapter. I was inspired with David’s spiritual maturity — he acknowledges God’s sovereignty over everything and encourages the reader to develop their own relationship with the Lord. The book uses simple and direct language for anyone to understand and begin to think deeply about God.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gives the reader a very personal look into the Olympic world. David Boudia is so transparent and honest in this read. He not only shares his struggles before his salvation, but shows how a Christ Follower struggles victoriously through his walk with Christ. Thank you, David, for this testimony!! It was a great blessing and encouragement to me!!

[Lindsey Dorn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunning story of David Boudia's testimony and faith journey from looking for fun and glory found in the world to him finding Christ in college through the faithful witness of his diving coach and amazing perspectives as he learned to re-root his identity in Christ rather than diving and his achievements.

[Barb Irwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

SuperRead!

This book I found to be more compelling than I ever thought possible. It was very well written and held my interest every step of the way. I feel like I really went through this journey with David. It’s so much more than just a book about his diving career!

[Beth Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story pulled me in quickly, and the Audible version of this book is so well done, I listened to the whole thing in one day. I can't wait to watch the author compete in his fourth Olympics next month!

[Theresa Mikolay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick read and thoroughly enjoyed hearing David’s story and testimony as a christian. I remember watching him win in 2012 and already knew him as a christian at that point, so it was very eye opening and also encouraging to learn more about how he got there and who he was like before.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

His struggles with idols is relatable. And I didn’t have to have knowledge or interest in diving to understand him. His testimony is faithful to giving God all the glory. I would recommend this read even for teen and college boys

[Trinity · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was soooooooooo good! I've read it twice and skimmed over it a 3rd time, it was that great! David is so honest and open- i would reccomend it to anyone! Please read this book!

[Dustin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very nice snapshot of David's life and the struggles he faced growing up as a diver. I'm particularly grateful with the turn he made towards Christ and wanting to dive for God's Glory.

[Tracy Coleman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic testimony & great message. No matter what our pursuits are in life we must be careful not to make gods in the process. Need to keep life in perspective

[Brittany T · Rating 5 out of 5]

David’s genuine & honest story of his path of faith is encouraging & inspiring! Highly recommend!

[Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a diver that was struggling mentally at the time with my sport I blew through this! It made me feel less alone with what I was going through and I just want to thank David for his vulnerability!

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a new Christian myself I love seeing the faith and success story of a fellow Boilermaker! The story really resonated with me.

[Sayde Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid book. I’m not into swimming at all but this book was rly good. I throughly enjoyed his writing and telling of the gospel. I loved the perfectly placed scripture and desire of serving the Lord this man has.

[Jodi Byrnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I appreciated David's candidness on his testimony, Olympic dreams, and his struggles in life. It was refreshing to read of an athlete who has realized there is more to life than gold medals here on earth.

[Nathan Albright · Rating 5 out of 5]

[Note: This book was provided free of charge by BookLook/Thomas Nelson Publishers in exchange for an honest review.]

There is a great deal of tension in this book, and it is worthwhile to examine the complications in what would normally be seen as a straightforward book of under 200 pages. On the one hand, this book speaks of timeless truths, namely the importance of salvation and the emptiness of chasing after the glittering prizes of fame and celebrity, but on the other hand this book is being written for a specific and very narrow time, namely the 2016, in which the author has already won silver in the 10m synchronized dive, being an author whose name recognition depends on the fleeting remembrance of Olympic glory, unless one happens to be a great fan of diving. On the one hand, this book is a memoir from a successful athlete who clearly has a lot to say about his field of expertise, including a lot of technical matters involving dives that are likely of interest to only a very small portion of his intended audience, and on the other hand this book is a conversion memoir [1], which requires a certain melodramatic U-shaped narrative, which this book duly provides, where a great deal of time is spent on the author's partying lifestyle and the deep depression he faced after Olympic failure in 2008 in Beijing, a sort of narrative that would largely be of interest to fellow born-again Christians struggling with how to live godly lives in an ungodly world without being uncharitably preachy towards unbelievers.

Despite the tensions present in the larger structure and aims and relevance of the book, on the level of reading the fewer than 200 pages, this book is easy to read, and easy to relate to. Nowhere does David adopt a holier-than-thou approach with the reader, discussing his decent family upbringing, his obsession with sports like soccer, gymnastics, and then diving, his combination of dedication and laziness, his awkward courtship of his wife, his struggle against the grip of nicotine addiction and occasional use of recreational marijuana, his struggle to buckle down in the face of novelty, and his efforts to master fear and anxiety. The book itself takes a chronological look at the author's life, with a much shorter look at the beginning of the life and parking for most of its contents on the years of conversion and growing maturity between 2008 and 2012 when the author was a college student finding his way in the world. The book includes some pages of photos so that the author can see the author's family, and the style of the book is both polished and confessional in ton, which a properly invisible co-writer.

So, how is one to properly value this book? This is the sort of book that will likely get a sales bump because of its release around the time of the Olympics, and it is clear that in some ways this book was rushed into publishing quickly to take advantage of a very narrow window of time, but to judge this book as a disposable work would be a mistake, as the larger conversion narrative contained in the book is likely to be of great value long after the Olympics are done because of its point that the Olympics are done and someone is no longer a celebrity, they still have a godly life to live and a godly example to set for others. It is sad, and more than a little ironic, that the sales and marketing goals of this book and the larger point the book is making are so deeply at odds, perhaps more so than any book I have read in a long time. What could have been a fairly ordinary sports and religion memoir [2] is made deeper and more poignant by the irony.

[1] See, for example:

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...

[2] See, for example:

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was just thinking, this book is the opposite of another book I just finished, My Utmost, by Macy Halford. Boudia is a believer in the more traditional, evangelical sense.
I appreciate his honesty. He kind of "rode the waves,"no pun intended with his diving and water life, with enthusiasm, growing as a believer, then "backsliding" as it is called. This happened a few times. Kind of amazed he lived with one couple, surrendered the ordering of his finances to them. They gave him money to live on. Being an Olympic athlete, I guess I would think discipline would carry over to all areas of life, but that was not the case always for Boudia.
I just loved how he has chosen to live his life--such a contrast to many famous athletes. I hope he does not have any more "backsliding" incidents--for the sake of him, his family etc.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a huge fan of the Olympic Games, I've watched David Boudia dive for Team USA since 2008 and was so excited for him when he won gold in 2012. At that time I didn't know about his faith in Jesus Christ, and now I'm even more of a fan after getting a glimpse into his heart these past couple weeks, both with things he has said at the ongoing Rio Olympics and from the pages of this book.

In this easy-to-read memoir, Boudia tells about his active childhood, his natural competitiveness with his older sisters, and how his parents decided to get him into athletics to find a good use for his abundant energy. At first they put him in gymnastics, and it was through that training that David first began dreaming of being an Olympian. Then it was diving that captured his heart, and his goals changed. He still wanted to reach the Olympics, but this time as a diver.

David gives us insight into the technical side of diving as he tells his story. He breaks down dives and talks about training methods. When discussing his appearances at both the Beijing and London Olympics, he shares what it is like to march in the Opening Ceremony, to stay in the Olympic village, and the training you go through at off-site facilities while waiting for your event to arrive. He tells about personal decisions he made, such as where he attended college and when he eventually turned professional in his sport.

With tasteful honesty, David shares about how his passion and drive did not always lead him to positive things. He sought after fame and fortune, thinking they would bring him happiness. He had some substance abuse issues with marijuana and alcohol, and confesses that he struggled with smoking cigarettes for a long time. As he became a world class athlete he thought he would begin to feel fulfilled, but instead after achieving his goal to become an Olympian and then having a disappointing competition in Beijing, David actually began contemplating suicide because of the extreme emptiness inside of him.

It was after opening up about his struggles to his coach Adam Soldati that David was introduced to Jesus Christ, and from that day forward his life was changed. As he immersed himself into God's Word and found answers to his questions, his focus and drive shifted from how he could gain fame and love for himself to how he could love others and bring glory to God. He now sees diving as an outlet to proclaim Christ and exalt Him through the abilities and talents which were given to him.

David Boudia is not a mainstream Christian. He's someone totally sold out for the Lord who is willing to use his life, the lows as well as the highs, to point others to Jesus. He is the first to admit that he still has struggles in various ways, and the fame he achieved by winning a gold medal was not the wonderful thing he dreamed it would be. By far the most fulfilling thing is living for God and trusting that He is using every circumstance to make His children more like Jesus. Filled with Scripture and written with grace and tact that makes this a great read for teenagers and adults, I would recommend this book for all believers and Olympic fans.

I received my copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for this honest review. All opinions are my own.

This review originated at http://reviewsbyerin.livejournal.com

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Moving Beyond the Personal Search for Glory

David Boudia is a world class diver and Olympian. Growing up he was a talented athlete, but diving was where he excelled. However, David saw his exceptional talent as a road to wealth and fame rather than a god-given talent that could be used to bring glory to God.

In his first Olympics in 2008, he was sure he was the best and would bring glory to a flagging US Diving Team. The result was the opposite. He won no medals and felt practically suicidal. However, he pulled himself together, continued diving, and at the end of high school accepted a place at Purdue University.

Struggling with his use of marijuana and alcohol, he finally went to his coach, Adam Soldati, for guidance and was helped to find Jesus. It was a turning point in his life and led to a much different Olympic experience in 2012.

The book is told with candor and shows David's deep commitment to Christian values. It also contains a very interesting description of competitive diving. Even if you don't find his embrace of a Christian lifestyle interesting, the book is well worth reading for the descriptions of the Olympics and diving. It also shows the pitfalls of doing something for the personal glory it will bring you.

I received this book from BookLookBloggers for this review.

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're wondering what it is like to journey as an athlete and grow and mature as a person, this book lays it out. If you've heard David's comments on TV or in print and wonder why he takes the time to mention God then this book is a great way to understand why. Hopefully if you read this book you'll find some inspiration or hope no matter how different your life is.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Greater than Gold, David Boudia shared his personal story about his journey of an Olympic gold medal. He began practicing gymnastics at a young age. Then at eleven years old, he decided to take up diving. His parents were both in the U.S. Air Force when they met. He also opened up about how he dreaded having to wear a speedo, which is something most guys are afraid to wear. He also described the six categories a drive can fall under and the judge’s point systems. He explained how his mom and a sports psychologist helped him to set goals and take actions steps to achieve difficult dives. He shared the importance of not letting fear control our lives and how trusting in God can help us to overcome our fears. He also revealed his struggle with marijuana in eighth grade and how his addiction turned to drinking and smoking cigarettes. He got a wakeup call when he tried out for the Olympic Trials and he failed to quality. This turned out to be a good thing because he also smoked marijuana a few days before. He would have had to complete a drug test if he would have made it into the Olympics and he would have failed it. He stopped smoking marijuana. He also shared how he was very prideful before he became a Christian. He described his journey to the 2008 Games in Beijing and how he failed at the event. He decided to attend Purdue and he was trying to become a NCAA Division I diver and he made a bad decision and smoked marijuana again and they did a random drug test and he failed the test. He was put on probation. He disappointed his coach and afterwards struggled with the meaning of his life. He admitted he struggled with suicidal thoughts and he was very low in this time of his life. Throughout the book, he revealed how God saved His life and gave him a hope and a future.

I would recommend this awesome book to anyone who enjoys reading story about sports and how their faith in God has changed their life. I remember watching David Boudia on TV perform at the Olympics and how he eventually won a gold medal. In reading this book, I learned how he came to be a Christian and I loved how he shared details about his past and was open about his struggles with marijuana and alcohol. He didn’t try and cover up his past. I appreciated how David shared how he viewed dating and how he was reminded that he needed to date with the mindset of marriage. He was very open about how when he met his wife, how they broke up a couple of times, and how he toyed with her heart a lot. God eventually got through to him and he shared the importance of pursuing marriage and remaining committed to sexual purity. Throughout the book, I could see how through his heartbreak and brokenness, God was able to reach him and change his life.

[Elizabeth]

Great book...passing on to my boys! Thanks for being so transparent, David!

[Kim - Inside the Wong Mind · Rating 5 out of 5]

Greater Than Gold: From Olympic Heartbreak to Ultimate Redemption
by David Boudia, Tim Ellsworth
Rating: 4.5/5
Thomas Nelson - Biographies & Memoirs | Sports & Outdoors

At the London 2012 Olympic Games, David Boudia won a gold medal in the 10 meter platform diving competition which changed his life, but real change came years before after miserably failing at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

David chronicles his journey and motivations for pursuing elite diving and the internal struggles that constantly berate him. He shares story after story of his inadequacies and how he dealt (or didn't deal) with them. He really puts the reader inside his head and heart and all that entails when it comes to competitive diving and his life outside of diving.

David Boudia tells his story of transformation and hope with a very honest voice that really spoke to me as a reader and a woman of faith. Since I don't usually review biographies, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I've missed reading them. I love to read the stories of struggle and triumph that many people can relate to. I was encouraged by his sincere words of frustration and despair. I think everyone can relate to failing at something or judging yourself only by looking at your results. Honestly, I was a bit surprised by the style of writing after only reading fiction for some time, but I loved how authentic and conversational the writing was. I came away from the book feeling encouraged and hopeful, which was a pleasant surprise. I loved the way he kept turning the conversation back to God and how he still struggles even after doing what he set out to do. The way his priorities and outlook change are so relatable and real.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to get inside the head of a transformed life that became an Olympic champion.

I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Side note: After following the Olympic Trials this year (2016), I was instantly intrigued by David Boudia and his story. On TV, I saw him praying with his coach and was encouraged to see a Christian athlete sharing his faith. When I was looking at books to review on NetGalley, I saw that his book was available and jumped at the chance to read about his journey. I've been rooting for him and Steele Johnson (they earned silver in the 10M Synchro Diving event) - Go Team USA!

[Jonathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't usually like biographies but I love the olympics and I was curious about this book. I approached it with a fair bit of skepticism. I thought this would be a Joel Osteen pop-psychology book about how if you believe in yourself God will help you win gold medals.

However, Boudia shows a deep understanding of theology. He received great discipleship upon becoming a Christian and has many valuable insights both into the particular sport of diving as well as sports and Christian life in general.

P.S. The bathing suits that the male divers are wearing in this olympics are ridiculous. It looks like they are wearing girl's sized speedos. Why? Boudia explains that the speedos are small for a practical reason: for flexibility. However that seems like a moot point. The women are wearing bathing suits that cover their hips and they seem to be twisting and turning just fine. So are men hips just incredible sensitive or what? Fact is it's simply about sex. This is why some media outlets posted articles with pictures of the men's crotches lusting over their "packages" in the beginning of this olympics. The same is true in women's beach volleyball and in women's gymnastics. It's about sex and sexualizing these teens. Anyway, that rant is irrelevant to the book.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

How would you respond if the eyes of the world are watching your every move? If you broke through the ceiling of celebrity and rose to the top of your discipline? In his book, "Greater Than Gold" David Boudia describes his journey as a world-class diver and Olympic gold medalist. More importantly, he describes his journey to the Lord and how he uses his athletic platform to tell how Christ transformed his life. A natural athlete and rising diving star at the University of Purdue, David was never one to shy away from a party or pursue his personal interests. He kept his sights on the glory and fame that he thought would come to him as an Olympic athlete. He got the opportunity to participate in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing in synchronized diving and the 10-meter platform diving events. There, his personal pursuits stood in the way of him obtaining his ultimate goal of becoming an Olympic medalist. It was only by the grace of God that David was able to redirect his life and later rise to the top of his sport and ultimately the Olympic podium. See entire review here: http://www.everyday-thoughts.com/2016...