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By Christine Rappleye, Church News
Whittni Morgan has had an unexpected path to the Paris Olympics.
The 2021 collegiate cross-country national champion and a former BYU runner was fifth in the 5,000-meter race during the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials in Eugene, Oregon, in June, with a time of 15:05.53, her season’s best.
The top three finishers typically qualify.
“I’m so grateful to God for his hand in getting me here. Comebacks are scary and require a lot out of you, and there were so many minimiracles and reassurances from God during this process,” the 26-year-old shared on social media on July 1 after the trials.
Morgan had surgery last November to repair her patellar tendon, the Deseret News reported.
On July 7, USA track and field finalized the team going to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France.
Two of the women who qualified in the 5,000-meter race also qualified in other distances and opted to focus on those. Elle St. Pierre, who was first in the 5,000-meter race at the trials, also qualified in the 1,500-meter race and decided to focus on the 1,500. Parker Valby, the fourth-place finisher in the 5,000 at the trials, was also the second-place finisher in the 10,000 and chose to focus on the 10,000 and dropped out of the 5,000, the Deseret News reported.
That put Morgan in the third spot.
Morgan’s coach, Diljeet Taylor, who coached her at BYU and has continued to train Morgan as a professional, called her to deliver the news by asking Morgan, “How’s your French?”
Morgan shared her excitement and gratitude on social media along with a message of faith, sharing how her faith has helped her.
“I didn’t become an Olympian the traditional way, but God paved a way for me to be an Olympian today. I am humbled that God would give me this opportunity, & he sees that I can do something with this gift he has given me to represent him as well as team USA,” she wrote on Instagram.
The 2024 Paris Olympics begin Friday, July 26. The Church News is looking for information about Latter-day Saint athletes competing in the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris. Please send information about 2024 Olympians and Paralympians, including name, country and event, to churchnews@deseretnews.com.
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