At 16, Morgan Hurd stood atop the world, the newly crowned gymnastics champion in a sport that thrives on perfection. She wasn’t supposed to be the winner that day in Montreal, but she was. A quiet storm, unexpected yet undeniable. The moment seemed to mark the beginning of something even greater—a rise that would culminate on the Olympic stage
That moment never came.
Instead, what followed was a story of disruption. Of injuries that came at the worst possible time. Of a pandemic that reshaped timelines. Of doing everything right, only to be left off the list. By 2021, when USA Gymnastics excluded her from the Olympic Trials, the message was clear: Morgan Hurd was no longer the future of gymnastics. The dream was over before it even began.
“If I do everything right and still don’t get to where I want to be, what does it matter?” she asked herself. The world moved on. She had to as well.
For most athletes, the transition away from competition is disorienting. Gymnastics, in particular, doesn’t prepare its stars for what comes next. When you dedicate your entire life to the pursuit of impossible precision, who are you without it?
Morgan Hurd arrived at the University of Florida with this question unanswered. And then, just as she was beginning to settle into collegiate gymnastics, her body gave her an answer. A torn ACL. Another season lost. Another plan unraveled.
Some would call it bad luck. Hurd calls it something else: a blessing in disguise.
With gymnastics temporarily out of reach, she wandered. A self-described introvert, she pushed herself toward new spaces, looking for something that made her feel alive again. That “something” arrived unexpectedly—in the form of a camera lens.
A simple role in the Chinese American Student Association as a videographer sparked something real. At first, it was just for fun—casual photoshoots with friends, a creative distraction from the chaos of her injuries. But then, people started noticing. Other organizations asked her to capture their events. The more she shot, the more she became better at it.
It was different from gymnastics, but in some ways, it wasn’t. Photography, like elite sports, is about timing. About detail. About catching the exact moment when everything aligns.
So she committed. Bought herself a Sony Alpha 7 III—her first “big girl camera,” as she calls it. Then, secured an internship with the University of Florida’s athletic department that led her to make a much-needed decision: medical retirement.
And it was anything but easy. Gymnastics had been her entire life. But stepping away allowed her to fully embrace her next chapter. By “putting myself first, I was putting the team first,” she said. “I still love gymnastics, but I just don’t think I can mentally handle [it] anymore.”
The irony isn’t lost on her.
For years, Morgan Hurd was the subject—her face splashed across magazine covers, her performances analyzed frame by frame. Now, she prefers the other side of the lens.
“It’s been super fun…I like being on the other side of the camera better, honestly,” she admits.
But her gymnastics past still lingers in the way she shoots. She knows what makes a good action photo—not just technically, but emotionally. She understands what athletes want to see of themselves, what moments they’ll cherish, what they’ll cringe at. A poorly timed release move on bars. A split leap that didn’t quite hit 180 degrees. She sees it all because she’s lived it.
“I’m not going to upload a photo where they’re making a weird face mid-swing on the bar.” She talked about joking with her old teammates. “I told them before the season started: don’t complain. You better hit your 180 [splits], or I’m not uploading.”
Though she’s still early in her photography career, Morgan Hurd is already thinking ahead.
Her dream now? Of course the Olympic Games—but this time as a photographer. She would love to work for an NCAA or professional team, but she’s in no rush.
“Even though I don’t know where I want to be tomorrow, that’s completely fine,” she says. “Everyone has their own path.”
In a testament to her impact on the sport, USA Gymnastics announced that Morgan Hurd would be inducted into its Hall of Fame. It’s a full-circle moment. A recognition of what she accomplished, even as she builds something new.
But Hurd’s story isn’t about looking back. It’s about moving forward. From world-class athlete to rising photographer, she’s proving that success isn’t just about one dream—it’s about embracing the next one.
Because sometimes, letting go of an old dream makes room for something even greater.
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