Post by Admin on Sept 2, 2021 5:53:58 GMT
Alex Morgan came home from Tokyo with a bronze medal, but her Olympics experience wasn't what she had hoped.
The US Women's National Team superstar told Insider that the color of the medal wasn't the only disappointment to come out of the games. Her time in Tokyo, Morgan said, "was a lot more challenging, both physically and mentally" than she'd anticipated.
Morgan reacts during the USWNT's game against Sweden at the Tokyo Olympics. Jack Gruber-USA TODAY Network
Morgan spent 35 days away from her 15-month-old daughter to chase gold at the Olympics, only to return with bronze, and the pandemic fundamentally changed the nature of the games.
"To not have the atmosphere of a true packed stadium and playing in front of fans, we just weren't able to experience the Olympics feel," Morgan said while promoting her partnership with pet food brand Stella & Chewy's.
"As much as I will cherish the bronze medal," she added, her Olympic appearance "just wasn't the experience that I had initially thought."
The prolific striker has already experienced the dream scenario at the Olympics. In 2012, a 23-year-old Morgan scored three goals - including a 123rd-minute game-winner - and tacked on five assists en route to a gold medal with the USWNT. The remarkable showing catapulted the budding star to near-instant fame and kickstarted a fruitful career with the national team.
Alex Morgan celebrates her gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics.
Morgan celebrates her gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics. Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
In Morgan's next Olympics showing in 2016, the USWNT suffered a shocking quarterfinal loss to Sweden, falling short of their glorious run four years prior. Still, Morgan got to experience the entirety of the games - the Olympic Village, the local offerings in Rio de Janeiro, and more. In Tokyo this year, however, she and her teammates weren't afforded the same luxuries.
The US Women's National Team superstar told Insider that the color of the medal wasn't the only disappointment to come out of the games. Her time in Tokyo, Morgan said, "was a lot more challenging, both physically and mentally" than she'd anticipated.
Morgan reacts during the USWNT's game against Sweden at the Tokyo Olympics. Jack Gruber-USA TODAY Network
Morgan spent 35 days away from her 15-month-old daughter to chase gold at the Olympics, only to return with bronze, and the pandemic fundamentally changed the nature of the games.
"To not have the atmosphere of a true packed stadium and playing in front of fans, we just weren't able to experience the Olympics feel," Morgan said while promoting her partnership with pet food brand Stella & Chewy's.
"As much as I will cherish the bronze medal," she added, her Olympic appearance "just wasn't the experience that I had initially thought."
The prolific striker has already experienced the dream scenario at the Olympics. In 2012, a 23-year-old Morgan scored three goals - including a 123rd-minute game-winner - and tacked on five assists en route to a gold medal with the USWNT. The remarkable showing catapulted the budding star to near-instant fame and kickstarted a fruitful career with the national team.
Alex Morgan celebrates her gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics.
Morgan celebrates her gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics. Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
In Morgan's next Olympics showing in 2016, the USWNT suffered a shocking quarterfinal loss to Sweden, falling short of their glorious run four years prior. Still, Morgan got to experience the entirety of the games - the Olympic Village, the local offerings in Rio de Janeiro, and more. In Tokyo this year, however, she and her teammates weren't afforded the same luxuries.