Why Do Athletes Claim St. Sebastian?

The 2016 Summer Olympics kick off with the lighting of the Olympic Torch Friday. The Olympic Games are a secular endeavor, but religion is everywhere if you know where to look. For example, athletes who are religious may say a little extra prayer to St. Sebastian, the patron saint of athletes and of the host city of Rio de Janeiro. Who was St. Sebastian and how did he come to be the symbol of both? Let us ‘Splain.