Jadin O’Brien, a Catholic member of Team USA’s bobsled team, is competing in her first Olympic Games after previously becoming a three-time national pentathlon champion at the University of Notre Dame.
Now 23, O’Brien has leaned heavily on her faith throughout her life — especially during a childhood battle with Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections (PANDAS), a rare condition that deeply impacted her early years.
In the documentary *Offering It Up*, she shared her desire to use her platform “as a successful athlete to glorify God.” She has often spoken openly about how her faith anchors her, saying it keeps her calm before and during major competitions. Before every track meet, she would place holy water on her thumb and make the sign of the cross at each event location.
Jeremiah 29:11 has long been her favorite verse — a reminder that God’s plans bring hope and a future.
Those plans ultimately led her to Team USA Bobsled and the 2026 Olympic Games. Competing on the world stage, O’Brien says her approach hasn’t changed: cut out distractions, dive into her faith, and “just stop thinking and just do.” She believes that’s when she performs at her very best.
