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Kelly Morgan(MBE,Badminton)

Kelly Morgan to date is the most successful badminton player Wales has ever seen having won a whole string of medals and accolades since she first represented her country at the age of 15.

Kelly in her 15 year reign as a top international badminton player accumulated over 140 international caps, a truly remarkable and astonishing acheivement.

Kelly`s love of badminton began at a young age where she and her brother would follow their mother and farther to the local badminton club, it wasn`t long before the obvious natural talent Kelly had for the game began to shine through. Like many sporting stars Kelly enjoyed many sports at a young age, taking part in every sport possible, hockey, netball, swimming, athletics also surprisingly dance played a huge part in developing coordination and footwork skills which proved to be in later years Kelly`s strength.

Kelly`s success began early in her career with her domination of Welsh ladies badminton begining at the age of 16 winning her first of 13 national Singles titles a Welsh record. Kelly`s transition between junior and senior badminton was seamless gaining the attention of the GB selection team securing her place in the team for the Atlanta bound Olympics .(1996)

In the following 8 years of Kelly`s career she would become a permanent fixture within the world`s top 10 ladies singles badminton players with wins over the worlds number 1 on two occasions her outstanding performances were rewarded with a career high ranking of world number 5.

Kelly`s finest hour came at the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia in 1998 winning the gold medal a definite high point of her career. In the same year she went on to win a silver medal at the European championships topping off a highly successful season.

Kelly became a regular within the GB Olympic team her consistent level of performance gave her certain selection for the following Olympics spanning 12 years from the Atlanta games in 1996 to Sydney 2000 and then onto Athens 2004.

In 2002 Kelly had mixed fortunes. She failed to retain her Commonwealth title, being beaten in the quarter-final`s, however she was awarded an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honors List, a very fitting award for all she contributed to her sport and country.

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