Once, she stood on podiums, gold medals glinting under arena lights, the weight of titles like 2017 World Gymnastics All-Around Champion and 2019 Tokyo World Cup Champion resting lightly on her slender shoulders. She was known for her quiet intensity, her signature glasses, and the grace with which she moved through the air—an artist in motion, a poet on balance beams.
Morgan Hurd was more than a gymnast. She was a five-time U.S. Senior National Team member, a beacon of resilience, and a fan favorite whose journey mirrored both the joy and heartbreak of elite sport. But in the end, her body whispered “enough” long before her heart did. The Tokyo Olympics, once within reach, slipped away after the pandemic’s pause and a cascade of injuries. The momentum she built in early 2020 unraveled by the summer of 2021, and her Olympic dream faded not in a moment of finality, but in slow, painful silence. College gymnastics was meant to be a second act, a softer landing, a new stage. And while her time with the Florida Gators brought academic honors and a deep sense of team, injuries continued to haunt her performances. She never quite got the farewell she’d envisioned.
Now, in May 2025, at 23 years old, Morgan Hurd has officially closed the door on her competitive career. But rather than stepping away from the sport entirely, she’s found a new angle—literally. “just another normal human being that carries around camera gear equivalent to their weight…and can do the splits.” she writes in her bio, half-joking but fully herself. It’s a quiet, humble nod to her past—yes, she’s a world champion, but now she’s a storyteller behind the lens.
Hurd has joined the Florida Gators media team, crafting content and capturing moments from the other side of the camera. Her new role, she says with a laugh and a bit of shyness, suits her better. “I switched over to the other side of the camera, which I honestly do like a lot better because I don’t really like being in front of the camera,” she told Olympics.com. “You’re kind of killing me right now.”
The report is developing…
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