Amelie Morgan hoping to make Olympic team again

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4 Sports) – Amelie Morgan never really thought the Olympics were a possibility.

“Most people would say growing up that the Olympics was a dream,” said the Utah junior gymnast. “But I think for me it never really was. I think we grew up in a very, like, realistic household, and it was kind of like four or five people go to the Olympics. That’s like an incredible thing to accomplish.”

But she made the English team that went to Tokyo in 2021, and became a part of history when England earned a bronze medal, its first Olympic medal since 1928.

“It was such a surreal feeling,” Morgan said. Seeing our name pop up in that third position. I couldn’t quite believe it. For us, it definitely took a few hours and days to kind of and that it was actually true. Knowing that we are part of like great British history.”

The next month, Morgan enrolled at the University Utah to begin he collegiate career, and thought her Olympic career was over.

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“To me, I kind of felt like I had reached the peak of my career,” Morgan said. I felt so accomplished. I knew that I was coming to college here in Utah, and I guess it was only in the past kind of year that I was reflecting on it and thinking maybe it would be nice to go to an Olympics with people that are actually there and maybe just give myself the chance to at least try.

How much did the fact that the Olympics are in Paris play into your decision beyond as you get to go to Paris?

“Yeah, it’s an awesome place,” Morgan said. “Everyone loves to go to Paris.”

Morgan will compete for the Red Rocks this Monday at UCLA, and then will leave the team to train in England. Morgan will compete in the English Championships the first week of March, and plans to back for the Pac-12 Championships at the end of the month. She won’t find out if she made the team until sometime in May.

“Obviously, it’s no done deal,” Morgan said. “It’s still a long shot to even get on the team. I knew that if I didn’t try and at least go and see what I could do, I would regret it in the future.”

“I think that she’s just such an inspiration to the team,” said Utes head coach Carly Dockendorf. “Just watching her train, her athlete routines and on top of her college routines and to be able to go pursue her goals, I think that it’s just really inspiring.”

“We’re super excited to see where she goes on this journey in Britain for the next month or so,” added senior Maile O’Keefe.

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Morgan will have two years of eligibility remaining with Utah after this season. She says she is extremely thankful for the welcome she has received by her teammates and the community.

“People talk about that family kind of feeling,” Morgan said. “I can definitely sense that even more. Being so far away from home and not getting to see my family so much every second I’ve been here, I felt so welcomed and so at home. And I always just have so much support and such a big system around me.”

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