In the class-obsessed and divided UK of the early 1920s, two decided young athletes train to the 1924 Paris Olympics. Eric Liddell, a devout Christian made into Scottish missionaries in China, sees running as part of his own worship of God's glory and refuses to train or compete on the Sabbath. Harold Abrahams overcomes anti-Semitism and class bias, but neglects his beloved sweetheart in his singleminded quest.