When Cole Hocker crossed the finish line of the men’s 1500-meter race and received the gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, it was a milestone that showed what happens when you give 100 percent to your career and to God. Speaking at the Vines Center during Convocation Friday morning, he encouraged Liberty University students and guests for College for a Weekend (CFAW) and Family Weekend to give their all to accomplish what God has planned for them.

Hocker set an Olympic record of 3:27.65 in Paris, becoming the fourth American in Olympic history to win gold in the 1500-meter race. Before the Paris Olympics, Hocker won four NCAA titles while at the University of Oregon. The Nike-sponsored athlete turned professional in 2021 and won a silver medal in the 1500-meter race at the 2024 World Indoor Championships in March.

The gathering began with a brief performance by TAYA, who will return to the Vines Center for a concert on Friday evening at 8 p.m.

As Hocker took the Convocation stage, the crowd chanted “USA” and sat down with Josh Rutledge, vice president of spiritual development, and two assistant coaches from Liberty’s track and field team, Isaac Wendland and Heather Zealand. Much of the conversation revolved around the race in Paris and Hocker’s mentality before, during and after his spectacular finish.

Hocker’s victory was a surprise, as it was originally planned to be a two-man race between Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Britain’s Josh Kerr. Hocker spent most of the race in the middle of the pack, but in the final 200 meters or so he made his attack and pushed himself into a position where he was confident of winning a medal.

“Going into the race, I knew how much work I had put in and that I was fit and mentally strong enough to pull through on race day,” Hocker said. “I knew I had to put on a really special race and then some. The whole race was a series of decisions and total commitment. Before I knew it, I was 200 meters from the finish line. I stopped thinking about what it was (an Olympic final) and who I was racing against and it was just instinct.”

In the final 200 meters, Hocker saw a chance to overtake Kerr and Ingebrigtsen closely, but he caught himself and continued until the inside lane cleared and crossed the finish line.

“I said in my post-race interview that I felt like God was carrying me through the finish line. I feel like when you watch (the race), it’s so obvious, because it doesn’t happen very often, that you can reset and recharge at that pace,” he said. “It wasn’t just me on the home stretch.”

He attributed his victory, which he had come from behind, to a brief thought that had occurred to him before the event.

“When this race came up, I said to myself, ‘I’m going to focus on myself.’ At the end of the day, I’m the only one on the starting line, all my supporters got me to this point, the Lord got me to the starting line healthy … and all I can do is run my race,” he said. “In the last 100 meters, I saw the two of them (Ingebrigtsen and Kerr) looking at each other and I thought, ‘I can’t believe it; they’re focusing on each other and they’re going to miss me,’ and that’s exactly what happened.”

However, his success was not the result of a single day’s effort and strategy, he said, stressing the role that discipline plays in an athlete’s career.

“You can’t rely on motivation; you have to rely on discipline,” he said. “Discipline leads to consistency and building. I constantly remind myself of discipline and who supports me; how much my parents have done to get me to this position, all my coaches up front, my current coach, my girlfriend. I feel like it’s my duty to the Lord to fully commit to something and give it my all.”

Hocker encouraged the audience to do the same with their respective “races” in life.

“The paths are different for (every) Olympian, but everyone gives 100 percent to their sport,” he said. “I would encourage everyone to give 100 percent. Once you give 100 percent, you don’t know what doors will open and what opportunities that will open up to.”

At the conclusion of the meeting, head track and field coach Lance Bingham prayed for Hocker and asked God for spiritual and religious strength to continue his career.