Chris Morgan

Chris Morgan (born 16 March 1973) is an openly gay British powerlifter. He is a Global Ambassador to the Federation of Gay Games and a Seven time World Champion in his sport.

He competed in the 75 kg Open class from 1998 to 2006. He won the silver medal in the World Drug-Free Powerlifting Federation Finals in Atlanta in November 2004, the gold medal in December 2005 at the finals in Turin and the Bronze medal in November 2006 at the finals in Ireland. Chris is one of the earliest openly gay male athletes to win World Championship medals in his sport.

Following a break from competing in 2007 due to illness Chris returned in the 82.5 kilo Open class, this time mainly competing in the World Drug-Free Powerlifting, single event championships. He has since won Silver in Antwerp 2008 (Squat) (Senior), Gold in Antwerp 2008 (Deadlift) (Senior), Gold in Bradford 2009 (Deadlift) (Open), Bronze in Milton Keynes  2009 (Powerlifting) (Open), Gold in Moscow  2010 (Deadlift) (Open), Gold in Autun 2012 (Deadlift) (Open), Gold in Antwerp 2013 (Deadlift) (Open), Gold in Antwerp 2013 (Deadlift) (Masters 1), Silver in Dusseldord 2014 (Masters 1) and Bronze in Düsseldorf 2014 (Open).

During his career he has won Fourteen British Championships. The first of these was in 2005, with a further three in 2008 and then two in 2010, two in 2011, one in 2012, two in 2013 and three in 2014. In 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2014 he was overall Best Lifter at the British Deadlift Championships.

He is three times European Champion, winning Gold Medals in Estonia 2011 (Deadlift) (Open) and in Lausanne 2012 (Deadlift) (Open). In 2011 he won The International Best Lifter title for Deadlift at European Single Event Championships in Voka, Estonia.

Chris currently holds multiple British and World Strength records in Deadlift within the International All Round Weightlifters Association, which is a strength association for athletes competing in drug-free Weightlifting, Powerlifting and Strongman.

Chris Morgan qualified as an International referee in 2009 and has officiated at the World Championships in Bradford 2009, Milton Keynes 2009, Moscow 2010 and Glasgow 2011.

Morgan is openly gay and competed in several Gay Games, an event mainly for gay sportspeople. He won silver in Amsterdam 1998, gold in Sydney 2002 four golds in Chicago 2006 and Gold in Cologne 2010. He holds Gay Games records in squat (225 kg), deadlift (250 kg) and overall poundage (575 kg) and in the 82.5 kilo class he holds records in squat (215 kg), deadlift (252.5 kg) and overall poundage (577.5 kg).

Chris Morgan supports a number of charities and sports organisations. In 2004 he became a global Ambassador to the Federation of Gay Games the organisation that gave him the confidence and motivation to be an openly gay athlete.

He was a member of the Football Association's Advisory Group on Homophobia from 2004 to 2008 and was sponsored by sportswear manufacturer Umbro between 2004 and 2006. At the time of this sponsorship deal with Umbro he was the first person to be permitted by the Football Association to wear the official England national football team kit, other than the team itself.

Chris dedicated his first World Championship Gold Medal in 2005 to the memory of Matthew Shepard.

Chris helped to launch LGBT History Month 2012, which was focused on sports.

Chris Morgan supports the Justin Campaign against homophobia in Football.

He dedicated his first Gay Games Gold medal to the memory of Justin Fashanu and has written a short tribute to Justin Fashanu and recorded a short video message for the Football v Homophobia Campaign.

He has signed the UK Government's charter for action to tackle homophobia and transphobia in sport.http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/back-school-good-sports231112

In February 2012 he published Chris Morgan’s History of British LGBT Sport in celebration of LGBT History Month.

In August 2012 Chris became a patron of the Pink Triangle Theatre Group, who perform shows in schools and colleges with powerful messages aimed at tackling homophobia, bigotry, hatred and intolerance. http://www.pinktriangletheatre.co.uk/ http://www.pinktriangletheatre.co.uk/?page_id=547