The reigning Olympic and world champion in the men's triple jump, Christian Taylor, has soared through to the final in Rio tomorrow, and credits his faith with keeping him grounded.

In an interview with sports media organisation Passion for Sport, Taylor – who competes for the USA – said his Christian faith had "absolutely" been a foundation for his life.

"This is what I do it for," he said. "This is what keeps me grounded, this is what motivates me. This is what I do it for, at the end of the day."

Taylor credits his grandmother with encouraging him in his faith, and said that she often texts him Bible verses. "At the end she always says 'Give God the glory," he added. "And that's what I do it for... As a human, you get excited and say 'Yeah, look what I did!' And my grandma always finds a way to put in that little message, like 'No, don't forget', and for me that's what keeps me grounded."

Taylor won gold at the 2012 Olympics in London, and then came out on top at the World Championships last year.

After coming first in qualifications in Rio today with a jump of 17.24m, he's on track to take a medal again on Tuesday.

He's previously been outspoken about his Christian faith. "My faith keeps me to who I am, because a lot of times there are a lot of distractions, a lot of pressures that come with the lifestyle," he has said.

"But keeping that faith and just remembering who I am is very important to me. I have my daily devotions."