Morgan Lake made her name as the first British woman to make an Olympic high jump final since 1992 at the 2016 games in Rio, while still a teenager.
Although she came in tenth place, the Milton-Keynes born athlete has gone on to win numerous medals, including picking up silver both at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and the Athletics World Cup.
More recently, she came fourth at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and last year the 27-year-old broke the British high jump record with a clearance of 1.99 metres at the annual athletics event at Hustopeče, Czech Republic. In doing so, she took the record off Katarina Johnson-Thompson, who had set the previous mark of 1.98m at the Rio Olympics in 2016.
After a stress fracture injury on her foot forced her to withdraw from the postponed 2020 Tokyo games, Lake now has her eyes set on bringing home a medal at her third Olympics in Paris. We spoke to her about her passion for high-jumping and the highs and lows of her career:
What’s the earliest Olympic memory that sticks in your mind?
‘It was when I was seven years old and watched Kelly Holmes on the television win the double gold at the Athens Olympics in 2004. I remember thinking I just want to be her as it was such a magical moment and an incredible achievement.
‘Seeing the emotion on her face and hearing the crowd roar with excitement, it made me understand the happiness and excitement that sport can bring. There is nothing like it.’
What is it you love about high jump?
‘It is a very fun sport and if you do it right, the outcome is thrilling. In high-jumping you feel as though you can fly and when it goes to plan it is the best experience in the world.’
What’s the hardest thing about your sport?
‘It is a very psychological one. High jumping is all about navigating your technique so there is so much to think about at the same time to ensure I do it correctly.
‘You have to have the rhythm and timing spot on so focusing on that is a very psychological thing for me to do. I know other athletes would point to training as the most difficult side of the sport but in high-jumping that is not the case.
‘I train a lot of course but it is not relentless like a lot of other athletes have to go through. Mine is all about precision.’
What’s the best route into competing in high jump?
‘I had a passion for athletics from around the age of six-years-old and was fortunate that my father was a British junior international triple jumper so I had him to look up too.
‘Fortunately these days there are so many athletic clubs you can sign up to around the country where you can learn to high jump from very experienced coaches. The biggest advice I’d give to young people starting out is to enjoy it and don’t put any pressure on yourself.
‘It is good to have your own goals, just don’t let anyone else force them upon you.’
When did you know you’d make it as an Olympian?
‘It was back in 2009 when I broke the UK U13 pentathlon record with 3046 points. Being able to break a British record at the age of 12 made me feel confident I could make it to the Olympics.
‘I thought, “I am good at this” and because I didn’t put too much pressure on myself I was able to enjoy it at the same time.’
What’s the biggest obstacle you’ve had to overcome?
‘Definitely injury has played a big setback in my career. When I had to withdraw from the Tokyo Olympics due to a foot injury it was a really difficult time for me.
‘I got a stress fracture in my foot and had to pull out of the event and that was a tough time for me both physically and mentally. However, it has just given me more momentum to focus on the Paris games even more so this time around.’
What are your thoughts ahead of the Paris games?
‘I am so excited to get to Paris as I love the city and I can’t wait for the games to begin. My parents, brother and my boyfriend will be coming to watch me and I’m really looking forward to soaking up the atmosphere and performing my best.’
Morgan Lake features in Path to Paris: The Hunt for Gold – a new documentary airing on Sunday 21 July at 5pm on Channel 4. The programme follows British athletes as they prepare for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and offers a unique insight into how National Lottery players support them on their journey.
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