Morgan Uceny

Morgan Uceny
Personal information
Born (1985-03-10) March 10, 1985
Plymouth, Indiana
Residence Boston, Massachusetts
Height 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
Weight 115 lb (52 kg)
Sport
Country  United States
Event(s) 1500 m
College team Cornell Big Red
Club adidas
Turned pro 2007
Coached by Terrence Mahon
Retired 2016
Achievements and titles
World finals
Personal best(s) (800 m) 1:58.37
(1500m) 4:00.06
(Mile) 4:24.6

Morgan Uceny (born March 10, 1985) is a retired American Olympic runner who specialized in middle distance events. Uceny won three national championships and was the 2011 IAAF Diamond League Champion at 1500 meters. She ended 2011 as the first American since 1985 to be ranked number one in the world in the 1500 meters by Track & Field News.

Personal life

Uceny was raised in Plymouth, Indiana, with her father, Marty, her mother, Brenda, and her two older brothers Alex and Matt. She is of Czech descent through her great-grandfather.[1] As a child she loved basketball and aspired to play in the WNBA. She ran track and played basketball in high school, also running cross-country her freshman and sophomore years, but decided to quit and focus on basketball and track. She won the state 800 meter championship her Junior year. In March 2017, Morgan married professional rock climber Shane Messer.

College career

Uceny attended Cornell University and graduated in 2007 as a Four-Time All-American:[2] Indoor 800m (2006, 2007) & Outdoor 800m (2005, 2007).

Professional career

Uceny won the 2008 USA Indoor bronze medalist at 800m in 2:04.12 & 2010 USA Indoor champion mile in 4:19.46.[3]

2011

Uceny started the 2011 season in spectacular fashion, winning the season title for the 1500m in the Brussels Diamond League, outsprinting a loaded field and setting the world leading time of 4:00.06, with a closing 400m of 61 seconds. At the 2011 IAAF World Championships in Daegu, she entered the 1500m final as the overwhelming favorite. With less than 500m to go, Uceny was tripped by Kenyan runner Hellen Obiri who had fallen, and ended up placing 10th in the final, well out of medal contention.[4][5] Despite the result, Uceny finished the 2011 season ranked No.1 in the world.[6][7]

2012

Uceny won the 1500m final at the 2012 US track and field Olympic Trials, qualifying for her first Olympics. Uceny, Shannon Rowbury, and Jenny Simpson all qualified for the United States in the event. At the London Games, Uceny, along with Rowbury, made it to the final on August 10, but Uceny had misfortune once again. At the start of the final lap her left knee contacted the back-kicking left foot of the runner in front of her, Ekaterina Kostetskaya, and she fell hard onto the track as the pack moved on,[8] injuring her back and right side.[9] She did not finish the race and left the stadium in tears.[6] Fellow American Shannon Rowbury finished in sixth place.

2014

US championship 1500m, Uceny once again made the final, but was clipped around halfway through the race and fell. Uceny ran 4:04.76 in the 1500 metres at the Paris Diamond League to redeem herself and this was her fastest time since 2012 summer. Returned home and still coached by Mahon.[10]

2015

Uceny ran a 4:11.18 1500 m en route to 4:29.39 mile at Fort Washington Avenue Armory. Uceny ran a season best 4:09.31 1500 m at June 2015 Sainsbury's Birmingham Grand Prix. At US championship 1500 m, Uceny finished 21st.[11] Uceny ran a season best 4:34.02 mile at Sir Walter Miler hosted by Meredith College.

2016

Uceny ran 4:09.21 1500 m at NYRR Millrose Games. Uceny ran 2:02.00 near Boston, Massachusetts, 4:03.94 for 1500 at Furman University elite women race, placed 5th at the 1500 m final at 2016 US Olympic Trials (track and field) and placed 10th in 4:24.6 at 2016 Fifth Avenue Mile.[12] Olympian and former world number one Morgan Uceny has announced her retirement from professional track and field.[13]

Achievements

Year Competition Venue Position Event Notes
Representing  United States
2007 Pan American Games Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 11th (h) 800 m 2:04.13
2011 World Championships Daegu, South Korea 10th 1500 m 4:19.71
2012 Olympic Games London, United Kingdom DNF 1500 m DNF
US Championships
Year Distance Time Place Ref.
2007 800 meters 2:01.75 4th [14]
2008 indoor 800 meters 2:04.12 3rd[15]
2008 800 meters 2:02.16 6th [16]
2009 800 meters 2:01.32 6th [17]
2010 indoor 1500 meters 4:19.46 1st [18]
2010 800 meters 2:00.86 5th [19]
2011 1500 meters 4:03.91 1st [20]
2012 1500 meters 4:04.59 1st [21]
2013 1500 meters 4:31.32 8th [22]
2014 indoor 1500 meters 4:20.49 8th [23]
2014 1500 meters 4:24.01 12th [24]
2015 indoor 1 mile 4:38.13 7th [25]
2015 1500 meters 4:21.20 21st[11]
2016 1500 meters 4:06.94 5th[26]

References

  1. ↑ IAAF Relays bio
  2. ↑ "2007 Cornell University Big Red Morgan Uceny biography". Cornell Big Red. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
  3. ↑ "2011 USATF Morgan Uceny biography". USATF. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
  4. ↑ http://daegu2011.iaaf.org/ResultsByDate.aspx?racedate=09-01-2011/sex=W/discCode=1500/combCode=hash/roundCode=f/results.html#detW_1500_hash_f
  5. ↑ http://www.nbcolympics.com/wthr/news-blogs/track-and-field/morgan-uceny-hopes-upward-trajectory-continues-in-2012.html
  6. 1 2 Olympics 2012: Morgan Uceny falls during 1,500-meter final - Indystar.com, 10 August 2012
  7. ↑ 2011 World Championships in Athletics – Women's 1500 metres
  8. ↑ "U.S. runner Morgan Uceny falls during 1,500-meter final". USAToday. August 11, 2012. Retrieved August 12, 2012.
  9. ↑ Creason, Tim (August 19, 2012). "Uceny Ponders Future After Heartbreaking Olympics". South Bend Tribune. Retrieved August 19, 2012.
  10. ↑ http://www.runnersworld.com/elite-runners/terrence-mahon-to-coach-elite-group-for-baa
  11. 1 2 http://www.usatf.org/Events---Calendar/2015/USATF-Outdoor-Championships/Results-by-Day/Results-FULL.aspx
  12. ↑ New Balance 5th Avenue Mile Professional Women nyrrc.org. Retrieved by September 3, 2016.
  13. ↑ US OLYMPIAN MORGAN UCENY ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT - December 14, 2016 Global Athletics & Marketing. Retrieved by December 14, 2016.
  14. ↑ http://www.usatf.org/events/2007/USAOutdoorTFChampionships/results/fullResults_open.asp
  15. ↑ http://www.usatf.org/events/2008/USAIndoorTFChampionships/results/fullResults.asp
  16. ↑ http://www.usatf.org/events/2008/OlympicTrials-TF/results/fullResults.asp
  17. ↑ http://www.usatf.org/events/2009/USAOutdoorTFChampionships/results.asp
  18. ↑ http://www.usatf.org/events/2010/USAIndoorTFChampionships/results/Results.asp
  19. ↑ http://www.usatf.org/events/2010/USAOutdoorTFChampionships/results/completeresults.asp
  20. ↑ http://www.usatf.org/events/2011/USAOutdoorTFChampionships/results/complete_senior.asp
  21. ↑ http://www.usatf.org/events/2012/OlympicTrials-TF/results/Results10-3.htm
  22. ↑ http://www.usatf.org/Events---Calendar/2013/USATFCS/Events/USA-Outdoor-Track---Field-Championships/Results---Full.aspx
  23. ↑ http://www.usatf.org/Events---Calendar/2014/USA-Indoor-Track---Field-Championships/Results.aspx
  24. ↑ http://www.usatf.org/Events---Calendar/2014/USATF-Outdoor-Championships/Complete-Results.aspx
  25. ↑ http://www.flashresults.com/2015_Meets/Indoor/02-27_USA/008-1-01.htm
  26. ↑ 2016 Olympic Trials USATF. Retrieved by September 3, 2016.
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