LONDON, UK (ANS) -- Such is the emotion and exhilaration we experience at being there when Olympic history is made. Australian hurdler Sally Pearson on Tuesday (August 7, 2012) is about to run the 100 meters hurdles and right around Olympic Park every Aussie is holding their collective breath.

Sally Pearson takes the gold

Sally is the favorite but can she do it? Up till now Australia has been a bit light on for gold medals in London 2012. My eyes are welling up as I watch, transfixed at what is about to unfold. A lump is forming in my throat as the starter calls “set” and the athletes snap to the ready position.

The entire 80,000 spectators fall silent as a hush falls over the stadium to be broken only by the crack of the starter’s pistol and Sally’s away to a strong start. She clears the first hurdle in the lead, over the second, the lead increases just slightly.

Dawn Harper and Kelly Wells are going hard on the far side. Then in what seems like the blink of an eye it’s all over. I’m watching on the big screen as the BBC zoom onto Sally, hands on hips catching her breath and obviously looking up to the electronic scoreboard to see the result. She doesn’t know if she’s won or not.

I think she has won it and I’m still holding my breath. Suddenly after what seems like an age, Sally throws her hands in the air and drops to the ground . . . YES!

Two golden athletes together -- Sally Pearson and Usain Bolt with the IAAF Athlete of the Year awards in Monaco

Sally Pearson has stamped her authority and taken Australia’s gold medal tally to 4 in 12.35, a new Olympic record. Then Dawn Harper, (USA) a very gracious silver medalist who lunged at the line in a desperate finish only to be denied gold by a mere 2/100th of a second through the awesome power of this brilliant young Queenslander comes across to embrace Sally in celebration of this golden moment.

My pulse is racing . . . and I’m only watching.

Christians celebrate a gracious Creator with awesome power. As Christians we don’t know what will happen next in our race as we struggle against the odds but we can know how it will finish. We have the promise of our Lord and Savior, no less than Jesus Christ, who gave His life for us, rose again to take away our sins and will always be with us.

As we embrace Jesus we can be guaranteed right now a place on a podium of even greater significance and unlike the rewards of this world, He has the authority to grant to us the eternal prize that nobody can take away.

Jonathan Mayne from Melbourne Australia is part of the Lay Witnesses for Christ International (LWFCI) team in London as part of the Bridging the Gap 2012 UK Outreach ministry team. He is also reporting for the Press Service International team and is a former national canoe champion and serves on the respective International Committees for Canoe and Dragon Boat Federations. He is married to Jenny who is pictured here with him