[This post was originally published on May 30, 2018, & I have recreated it from archived code, the pictures are the only thing I changed when recreating it]
Okay, this is old news. But I haven’t posted about it here at all, and I can’t let it go by unmentioned. [EDIT: Oops, I forgot that I did post about this at the time, saying much the same as I say below; but I did not post these photos, and I don’t want to delete a post when I finally get around to doing one] I have to say that it is quite a pleasant surprise for Hurd to have captured the all-around world championship in her first year as a senior. But to me it is not a shock completely out of left field.
If you go back to previous posts I’ve made since 2015, you’ll see I predicted Hurd would rise to the top of American gymnastics by the end of the decade, and was quite likely to be on the US team for the 2020 Tokyo Games. Thus, I consider Hurd’s championship to be, through a combination of circumstances, her arriving somewhat ahead of schedule at a destination that is not unexpected, certainly not out of left field.
Granted, Simone Biles and a few others missed ’17 Worlds, whether taking some time off after the Rio Games or due to injury, and some unfortunate injuries during the event took some frontrunners out of contention. It is no insult to Morgi to say that winning that World Championship does not necessarily mean that she’s the best all-around gymnast in the whole world right now (and I doubt she would ever claim to be), but she was the best all-around gymnast in Montréal last October, and she earned that victory because of her (and her coaches’) canny approach to the sport. Consistent execution, grace and good form have been trademarks of Hurd’s performances since she first entered the junior ranks, and, like the tortoise and the hare, those traits can win championships when others fall by the wayside due to inconsistency, mistakes or injury. Congratulations, Morgi, and may it be the first of many great achievements.
I had the honor of meeting Morgan briefly last November at a local fundraising event, where I managed to get her autograph on a print of a photo I’d taken at the 2016 P&G US Championships (not much of a photo, as USAG doesn’t allow anyone but credentialed press bring a decent camera, but it is my photo, nonetheless), and got a picture of me with Morgi—a typically awful photo of me, but a winning smile from herself.
I’m looking forward to the GK US Classic in a few days, which will feature not only the reigning all-around world champion, but also the return to competition of all-conquering monster Simone Biles. It’s sure to be an exciting event.
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