Morgan Lake hoping to make waves on the Gold Coast at senior level

THE time is now for Morgan Lake.

“Although I’ll still only be 20 at the Games I’ve been on the senior team for three or four years now so I think I’ve made that transition from junior to senior, and now I want to push on. It’s a couple of years since winning gold at the World Junior Championships, but that is still one of my proudest moments, so I want to try and emulate that success at senior level.

“To win a medal at the Commonwealth Games would mean a lot to me. I feel like I’m in good shape and a PB is coming, so hopefully that could bring me a medal out in Gold Coast.”

Now in her second year at Loughborough University, Lake is multi-talented, until recently balancing the seven events of the heptathlon alongside her studies. For the short term as least she has narrowed her focus to ‘just’ the high jump and is coping well with her dual focus.

“Being a student-athlete is quite challenging at times but the University have really helped to make it as easy as possible, being flexible with my programme, my modules and just liaising with my coaches to make sure we could make it all work.”

High jump is a sport that requires mental control, poise and supreme confidence, so it seems apt then that her studies somewhat align.

“I study psychology and the intensity has definitely stepped up a lot since first year and I’ve definitely found it more difficult, but I really enjoy my course. I’m really focused on trying to do as well in my studies as I am with my athletics.

“I tried to pick a course that didn’t cross over with my sport too much, but psychology does have a lot of implications on the track. Coping mechanisms, anxiety techniques and visualisation are all things that I’ve applied to my athletics and have really helped.”

Back on the track the last couple of years have been all about growth for Lake, who can now add Olympian and World Championship sixth placer to her already glittering resume. On the domestic front she is now double British champion both indoor and out, and is the third best British athlete of all-time with her 1.96m personal best.

Despite all that, now is the time for the prodigious talent to make the step up onto the senior rostrum as she almost did at the World Indoor Championships in Birmingham at the start of the month.

“This indoor season was a bit of a whirlwind, with changes to my run up and a lot of ups and downs, so I was happy to just make it to the World Indoors. To finish fourth was a bit bittersweet, as I was so close to a medal and if I’d have just tidied up my earlier heights it might have a been a different story.”

Heading down under she is keen to go at least one better and come away with her first senior international medal.

“I have a to make a lot of sacrifices, especially with my social life and not being able to see my family as much as I’d like, but they are sacrifices every top athlete has to make. Being in Loughborough and surrounded by other athletes who are all studying as well makes it quite normal though.”

Hopefully the long journey from Loughborough to the Gold Coast will provide the rewards she is looking for.