Chris Morgan (powerlifter)

Chris Morgan (born 16 March 1973) is an openly gay British powerlifter. He is a global ambassador to the Federation of Gay Games and a eight-time world champion in his sport.

He competed in the 75 kg Open class from 1998 to 2006. He won the silver medal in the World Drug-Free Powerlifting Federation Finals in Atlanta in November 2004, the gold medal in December 2005 at the finals in Turin and the bronze medal in November 2006 at the finals in Ireland.[1] Chris is amongst the earliest openly gay male athletes to win world medals in sports globally and is one of the most successful openly gay strength athletes of all time.

Following a break from competing in 2007 due to illness, Chris returned in the 82.5 kilo Open class, this time mainly competing in the World Drug-Free Powerlifting, single event championships. He has since won silver in Antwerp 2008 (Squat) (Senior), gold in Antwerp 2008 (Deadlift) (Senior), gold in Bradford 2009 (Deadlift) (Open), bronze in Milton Keynes 2009 (Powerlifting) (Open), gold in Moscow 2010 (Deadlift) (Open), gold in Autun 2012 (Deadlift) (Open), gold in Antwerp 2013 (Deadlift) (Open), gold in Antwerp 2013 (Deadlift) (Masters 1), silver in Dusseldord 2014 (Masters 1), and bronze in Düsseldorf 2014 (Open), Gold in Telford 2015 (Masters 1).

During his career he has won 18 British Championships. The first of these was in 2005, with an additional three in 2008, and then two in 2010, two in 2011, one in 2012, two in 2013, three in 2014, three in 2015 and 1 in 2016. In 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2015 he was overall Best Lifter at the British Deadlift Championships.

He is a three-time European Champion, winning gold medals in Estonia 2011 (Deadlift) (Open) and in Lausanne 2012 (Deadlift) (Open). In 2011 he won The International Best Lifter title for Deadlift at European Single Event Championships in Voka, Estonia.

Chris currently holds multiple British and World Strength records in Deadlift within the International All Round Weightlifters Association, which is a strength association for athletes competing in drug-free weightlifting, powerlifting, and Strongman.

Chris Morgan qualified as an international referee in 2009 and has officiated at the World Championships in Bradford 2009, Milton Keynes 2009, Moscow 2010 and Glasgow 2011.

Morgan is openly gay and competed in several Gay Games, an event mainly for gay sportspeople. He won silver in Amsterdam 1998,[2] gold in Sydney 2002[3] four golds in Chicago 2006[4] and Gold in Cologne 2010. He holds Gay Games records in squat, deadlift and overall poundage in the 75 kilo class [5] and in the 82.5 kilo class he holds records in squat, deadlift and overall poundage.

Chris Morgan supports a number of charities and sports organisations. In 2004 he became a global ambassador to the Federation of Gay Games.[6][7]

He was a member of the Football Association's Advisory Group on Homophobia from 2004 to 2008[8] and was sponsored by sportswear manufacturer Umbro between 2004 and 2006.[8] With Umbro, he was the first person to be permitted by the Football Association to wear the official England national football team kit, other than the team itself.

In 2015, he was inducted into the National Gay and Lesbian Sports Hall of Fame.[9]

Chris Morgan is the Co-Promoter and Meet Director for the first ever LGBT International Powerlifting Championships happening in London in July 2017.

References

  1. ↑ "World Drug Free Power Lifting Federation: Results". Archived from the original on 2008-05-04. Retrieved 2008-11-02.
  2. ↑ "Gay Games V - Amsterdam: Weight Lifting Results". 1998. Retrieved 2008-11-02.
  3. ↑ "Participate - Chris Morgan wins gold in Sydney". 2002. Retrieved 2008-11-02.
  4. ↑ "Gay Games VII - Chicago: Power Lifting Results" (pdf). 2006. Retrieved 2008-11-02.
  5. ↑ "Chris Morgan's website: Achievements". Archived from the original on 2008-10-18. Retrieved 2008-11-02.
  6. ↑ "Federation of Gay Games - Ambassadors". Retrieved 2008-11-02.
  7. ↑ "Ambassadors - Gay Games Cologne 2010". Archived from the original on 2008-12-11. Retrieved 2008-11-02.
  8. 1 2 "Gay powerlifter picks up historic UK sponsorship". gay.com. 2006-10-05. Retrieved 2008-11-02.
  9. ↑ Jim Buzinski (27 July 2015). "9 inducted into National Gay and Lesbian Sports Hall of Fame". Outsports.

External links

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