Morgan Uceny

Morgan Uceny (born March 10, 1985) is a retired American track and field athlete who specialized in middle distance running. Uceny won three national championships and was the 2011 IAAF Diamond League Champion at 1500 meters. She ended 2011 as the first American since 1985 to be ranked number one in the world in the 1500 m by Track & Field News.

She represented her country at the 2012 Summer Olympics, 2007 Pan American Games, and the 2011 World Championships in Athletics. Her personal records are 1:58.37 minutes for the 800 meters and 4:00.06 minutes for the 1500 meters.

Personal life Uceny was born on 10 March 1985 in Plymouth, Indiana, with her father, Marty, her mother, Brenda, and her two older brothers Alex and Matt. She is of Czech descent through her great-grandfather. As a child, she loved basketball and aspired to play in the WNBA.

Career Pre-professional career In high school, Uceny both ran track and played basketball. She did Cross country running as well during her freshman and sophomore years, but decided to quit and focus on basketball and track. She won the state 800 meter championship her junior year.

Uceny attended Cornell University and graduated in 2007 as a Four-Time All-American for Indoor 800m (2006, 2007) & Outdoor 800m (2005, 2007).

Professional career Uceny won a bronze medal over 800 m at the 2008 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships and was the winner in the mile at the 2010 indoor nationals.

In the 2011 season she won the 1500 m at the Brussels Diamond League, out-sprinting a loaded field and setting the world leading time of 4:00.06, with a closing 400m of 61 seconds. At the 2011 IAAF World Championships in Daegu, she was tripped by Kenyan runner Hellen Obiri who had fallen, and ended up placing 10th in the final, well out of medal contention. Despite the result, Uceny finished the 2011 season ranked No.1 in the world.

Uceny won the national titles in the 1500 m at the 2012 US track and field Olympic Trials, qualifying for her first Olympics, alongside Shannon Rowbury, and Jenny Simpson. At the London Games, Uceny and Rowbury made it to the final, but a mid-race clash with Ekaterina Kostetskaya meant she fell hard onto the track as the pack moved on, injuring her back and right side. She did not finish the race and left the stadium in tears.

Uceny ran a 4:11.18 1500 m en route to 4:29.39 mile at Fort Washington Avenue Armory. Uceny ran a season best 4:09.31 1500 m at June 2015 Sainsbury's Birmingham Grand Prix. At US championship 1500 m, Uceny finished 21st. Uceny ran a season best 4:34.02 mile at Sir Walter Miler hosted by Meredith College.

Uceny ran 4:09.21 1500 m at NYRR Millrose Games. Uceny ran 2:02.00 near Boston, Massachusetts, 4:03.94 for 1500 at Furman University elite women race, placed 5th at the 1500 m final at 2016 US Olympic Trials (track and field) and placed 10th in 4:24.6 at 2016 Fifth Avenue Mile.

Uceny announced her retirement from professional track and field on 14 December 2016. In March 2017, Morgan married professional rock climber Shane Messer.

International competitions

National championships + US ChampionshipsYear Distance Time Place Ref. 2007 800 meters 2:01.75 4th 2008 indoor 800 meters 2:04.12 3rd 2008 800 meters 2:02.16 6th 2009 800 meters 2:01.32 6th 2010 indoor 1500 meters 4:19.46 1st 2010 800 meters 2:00.86 5th 2011 1500 meters 4:03.91 1st 2012 1500 meters 4:04.59 1st 2013 1500 meters 4:31.32 8th 2014 indoor 1500 meters 4:20.49 8th 2014 1500 meters 4:24.01 12th 2015 indoor 1 mile 4:38.13 7th 2015 1500 meters 4:21.20 21st