Opinion: Gymnast Morgan Hurd has something to prove — at American Cup and beyond

MILWAUKEE — That Morgan Hurd had a crisis of confidence was understandable. Expected, even.

In 2017, she was the best gymnast in the entire world, with the title and gold medal to prove it. Two years later, she didn’t even make the U.S. team.  

“It was pretty difficult. I was pretty devastated and disappointed in myself,” Hurd said in January, ahead of the first national team training camp.

There was the embarrassment, of course. While the American women have the deepest team in the world, Hurd had established herself as perhaps the best after Simone Biles. In addition to her all-around title, she had four other medals from the world championships in 2017 and 2018, and had been runner-up to Biles at the 2018 national championships. She seemed like a gimme for any world or Olympic team.

She also is featured in All Around, a documentary series by the Olympic Channel that follows three Tokyo hopefuls.

Morgan Hurd performs her floor routine during the 2019 U.S. Gymnastics Championships. (Photo: Jay Biggerstaff, USA TODAY Sports)

There was a sense of shame, too, a feeling that Hurd had let down her longtime coach, Slava Glazounov.

And then there was the fear.

The Tokyo Olympics were a year away, and Hurd couldn’t help but worry what missing worlds would mean for the dream she’s had since she began doing gymnastics. Literally. In the first class Hurd took, when she was 3, toys were placed on the beam and gymnasts were asked to grab them and then make a wish.

“I always wished, `I wish to go to the Olympics! I wish to win the Olympics!’” recalled Hurd, who is from Middletown, Del. “I don’t know why I remember that so vividly.”

To think it might not happen, after seeming to be so close, was devastating.

“This was upsetting. It was frustrating. It took us months, really, to get back to feeling worthy,” Glazounov said. “She’s better now.”

Morgan Hurd has het sights set on the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. (Photo: Jay Biggerstaff, USA TODAY Sports)

Some athletes react to a setback by turning inward, letting the disappointment consume them. But the best use it as fuel, motivation to drive them to even greater heights. There is the infamous story about Michael Jordan being cut from his high school basketball team. Aaron Rodgers slipping in the NFL draft.

And so it’s been with Hurd. There is an edge to her gymnastics now, a sense something is at stake every time she’s on the floor.

“I wouldn’t say (I’m) angry. I’d say (I have) a really fierce, really go-getter attitude,” she said Friday after training for Saturday’s American Cup, a World Cup meet.

It’s been noticed. A judge commented on how good Hurd has been looking in training. National team coordinator Tom Forster said he’s been impressed with her improvement, and noted that Hurd had placed second at the most recent training camp, behind Olympic champion Simone Biles.

“You’ve got to prove yourself. We attack this daily, weekly,” Glazounov said. “There’s nothing to be moaning about it. We’ve got to go and work.”

The American Cup will be the biggest test yet of Hurd’s new resolve. This is her first significant competition since the world team selection camp, where she was passed over because of inconsistency. Results from the American Cup and three other all-around World Cups also are being used to determine which countries get an additional spot in Tokyo.

What Hurd does here won’t keep her off the Tokyo team. But it will go a long way in reminding people she should be on it.

“I have to prove I’m still worthy of an Olympic spot,” Hurd said.

Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on Twitter @nrarmour. 

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