Runner Whittni Morgan Shares Message of Faith After Being Selected to U.S. Olympic Team

American Whittni Orton Morgan finishes in the top five in her 1,500-meter heat to secure a spot in the finals at the 2019 NCAA Outdoor Championships. The former BYU runner shared her faith and gratitude after being unexpectedly selected to the 2024 U.S. Olympic team. Photo by Nate Edwards, BYU Photo, courtesy of Church News.© All rights reserved.

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By Christine Rappleye, Church News

Whittni Morgan took an unexpected path to the Paris Olympics.

The 2021 collegiate cross country national champion and former BYU runner finished fifth in the 5,000-meter race at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials in Eugene, Ore., in June with a season-best time of 15:05.53.

The top three usually qualify.

“I am so grateful to God for His help in getting me this far. Comebacks are scary and take a lot out of you, and there have been so many mini miracles and comforts from God during this process,” the 26-year-old shared on social media on July 1 following the ordeal.

Morgan underwent surgery last November to repair his patellar tendon, the Deseret News reported.

On July 7, the U.S. track and field team finalized the roster that will compete at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France.

Two of the women who qualified for the 5,000-meter run also qualified for other distances and chose to focus on those. Elle St. Pierre, who finished first in the 5,000-meter run at the trials, also qualified for the 1,500-meter run and decided to focus on the 1,500. Parker Valby, fourth in the 5,000 at the trials, also finished second in the 10,000 and chose to focus on the 10,000 and dropped out of the 5,000, the Deseret News reported.

This puts Morgan in third place.

Morgan’s coach, Diljeet Taylor, who trained her at BYU and continued to train Morgan as a professional, called her to tell her the news, asking, “How’s your French?”

Morgan shared her excitement and gratitude on social media along with a message of faith, explaining how her faith has helped her.

“I didn’t become an Olympian in the traditional way, but God paved the way for me to be an Olympian today. I’m honored that God gave me this opportunity, and He sees that I can do something with this gift He’s given me to represent Him and Team USA,” she wrote on Instagram.

The 2024 Paris Olympics begin Friday, July 26. The Church News is seeking information on Latter-day Saint athletes competing in the Paris Olympics and Paralympics. Please send information on 2024 Olympic and Paralympic athletes, including name, country and event, to [email protected].