Anna Morris: The Doctor Who Became a Cycling Sensation

Anna Morris did not own a road bike until nearly 20 and had never stepped into a velodrome until recently. Just three years ago, she watched the Tokyo Olympics from her hospital job but now the qualified doctor is a three-time world champion and an Olympic medalist. At the recent World Track Championships in Denmark, the 29-year-old from Cardiff added another gold in the team pursuit and achieved an unexpected victory in the individual pursuit, a title she hadn’t won since her university championship five years ago.

“I was in shock when I crossed the line,” she told BBC Sport Wales. Growing up near the Maindy Velodrome which launched the careers of many cycling stars, Morris initially pursued gymnastics, training for hours after school. Her early cycling efforts included tackling a small hill to the supermarket showcasing her determination. While studying medicine at the University of Southampton, she started doing spin classes and eventually got involved in track cycling during her second year.

As her cycling career took off, she juggled her training with her medical studies, managing around eight hours of training per week. In 2021, as the Tokyo Olympics approached, Anna Morris paused her medical career to focus on qualifying for the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Going full-time in cycling proved beneficial leading to her selection for the European Championships in August 2022.

Morris’s accomplishments continued with a world title in the team pursuit in Glasgow and a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics. Recently, she won her first major individual title defeating four-time world champion Chloe Dygert. Despite her successes, Morris intends to return to her medical career eventually but is keen to explore the opportunities in cycling while they last.