For many, she’s an inspiration.
There’s a fascinating tale behind Morgan Hurd’s recent all-around victory at the World Gymnastics Championships in Montreal.
The championship was her first major career highlight. The unlikely contender took top honors “thanks to injuries to other top gymnasts and her own breakthrough performance,” Slate reports.
Gymnastics chamption Morgan Hurd wears glasses during her routines. Credit: Screenshot from USA Gymnastics YouTube account.
But the underdog storyline isn’t the only cool thing about the 16-year-old Hurd, who is from Delaware, writes Josh Levin, Slate’s editorial director.
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She also wears glasses during her routines. That’s pretty uncommon, and quite inspiring, Levin writes.
It’s not that hard to think of athletes who’ve worn goggles, he notes — Kareem Abdul-Jabbar comes to mind. But you don’t see that many typical eyeglasses.
Hurd has told FloGymnastics that she finds glasses to be more convenient than contact lenses, which made her eyes feel dry. She secures her glasses with a neoprene band.
Levin writes that many people who wear glasses, himself includes, can feel that high-level athleticism is beyond their grasp.
“I now see that if I squint hard enough, I too can be the world gymnastics champion,” he continues.
Right. Well, we all get to dream, don’t we?
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Read more at Slate
