Women With GRITT: Morgan Mitchell On Discipline, Dreaming Big And The Importance Of Opening Up
“After watching the 2000 Sydney Olympics, I knew I wanted to go. I wrote it in my dream journal and everything! I’m quite stubborn when it comes to wanting to achieve a goal and getting the most out of it, so I think [this drive] was definitely innate and I didn’t want to let anything get in my way.”
Welcome to Women with GRITT: a series where we interview the resilient, hardworking women who have kicked in the glass ceiling and inspire us to do the same.
If you’re anything of a sports fan, it’s likely you’re familiar with Morgan Mitchell. One of Australia’s most well-known Olympic athletes and an F45 ambassador, Mitchell is renowned for being a refreshing, inspiring and thoughtful voice in the Australian sports landscape.
Having grown up in Melbourne in the suburb of Carlton, Mitchell credits her tenacious spirit and ability to conquer pretty much everything she sets her mind to (she was also a national netballer and dabbles in chess, piano and Spanish) to her strong female support system. Growing up with a supportive mother and two sisters who challenged her to be her best, Mitchell was always destined for greatness.
In this interview, she speaks to Gritty Pretty about the moment she realised sprinting was her calling, how she overcame personal challenges to bounce back stronger and why she believes beauty will always start from the inside.
Editor’s note: This article touches on themes of domestic abuse. If you, or someone you love, is in trouble please call 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732).
Gritty Pretty: Morgan! How are you? Before we jump into your incredible athletic success, we would love to know a little more about what makes you, you. So, how would you say your childhood shaped the woman you are today?
Morgan Mitchell (MM): I definitely give credit to my two sisters and mum. We are all so close, so competitive and honest with each other. Above all the support is unwavering and it’s been like that ever since I can remember. Mum just let us roam wild and free so we could make mistakes and learn how to live life independently and make our own choices. I really appreciate that she wasn’t a helicopter parent because now we all have our own personality and style and think differently. She also encouraged us to try as many different sports, languages and musical instruments / arts as possible so we could find our true passion. I think that’s why I have a love for random things away from sport such as piano, Spanish and chess.
GP: She sounds like an amazing woman! It also takes a huge amount of discipline to be an Olympian. Where does this determination and perseverance come from? Is it something that is innate within you or did you have a role model growing up?
MM: I definitely believe it was due to my upbringing. My sisters and I were all born a year apart so the competitiveness was there from the beginning. After watching the 2000 Sydney Olympics, I knew I wanted to go. I wrote it in my dream journal and everything! I’m quite stubborn when it comes to wanting to achieve a goal and getting the most out of it, so I think it definitely was innate and I didn’t want to let anything get in my way. It’s just crazy to think I got to live out my childhood dream.
GP: How old were you when you decided you wanted to pursue sprinting seriously? And what were the steps you put in place to start achieving this goal of being a professional athlete?
MM: I was about 18. I just finished netball nationals and was selected in the Australian squad for that, but also made the World Junior Athletics Team that year too. Once I realised the athletics team was basically a mini Olympics for 17 and 18 year olds, I just ran with it. I knew in my heart it was the right thing to do because I had missed the sport so much (I took a four year break from athletics pre World Juniors). I guess it paid off in the end.
GP: What was the greatest challenge you faced in your career and how did you overcome it?
MM: I suffered from a serious injury when I was 18 due to domestic abuse that let me in hospital. It’s something I haven’t really talked about a lot but it definitely was a defining moment because mentally, it stuck with me long after the incident. I started to question my self-worth and my motivation for sport and life. I do feel like it’s something I’m still overcoming but I have an incredible support system around me and I can be open about my feelings—something I wasn’t great at doing for years. I also believe in giving back to the community, I think that helps give me a sense of gratefulness regardless of what happened, there’s always someone going through worse.
GP: That is a truly inspiring outlook to have on life. Thank you for being so open with us. In terms of career highlights, though, what has been the greatest moment so far?
MM: A highlight would definitely be going to the Olympics. Only because I had obsessed over it for the longest time. I also think teaching myself to play Fur Elise on the piano has to be up there. It has nothing to do with my career, but it’s something I am lowkey very proud of.
GP: Hey, a highlight is a highlight! What does a typical week of training look like for you and how do you remain motivated and keep pushing to improve?
MM: On Monday I jog, hit the gym and go to Jiu Jitsu. Tuesday is yoga and track. Wednesday is the same as Monday. Thursday is F45 and track. Friday is a day off or, if I’m feeling okay, yoga and Jiu Jitsu. Saturday is track and Sunday is a long run. Honestly, I love moving my body. That’s enough to keep me motivated. I hear a lot of people who are older than me or retired complain about ongoing soreness and injuries and that’s enough for me to want to get the most out of myself and my body while it works.
GP: What role does beauty play in your everyday life?
MM: Beauty plays a big role. As we all know, it starts from within. I think a good heart is what makes a person truly beautiful. I also love natural beauty. If I’m not heading to an event, I never wear makeup…not to girls’s dinners, dates, friends parties. Nothing! Only because I’m obsessed with skincare and good health and hate makeup stains on clothes. I admire people that love makeup, it’s like an art and to me, that’s beautiful. Same goes for a good skincare routine and hair care routine.
GP: And what are your top five favourite beauty products of all time?
MM: I love the Goop Lip Balm, the Maybelline Green Edition Superdrop Tinted Oil (this is iconic for me), the Clinique Facial Jelly, the Louis Vuitton Coeur Battant Perfume (thank me later) and the The Edit Luxury Night Oil (my secret to fake liquid foundation).
Gritty Pretty: Morgan! How are you? Before we jump into your incredible athletic success, we would love to know a little more about what makes you, you. So, how would you say your childhood shaped the woman you are today?
Morgan Mitchell (MM): I definitely give credit to my two sisters and mum. We are all so close, so competitive and honest with each other. Above all the support is unwavering and it’s been like that ever since I can remember. Mum just let us roam wild and free so we could make mistakes and learn how to live life independently and make our own choices. I really appreciate that she wasn’t a helicopter parent because now we all have our own personality and style and think differently. She also encouraged us to try as many different sports, languages and musical instruments / arts as possible so we could find our true passion. I think that’s why I have a love for random things away from sport such as piano, Spanish and chess.
GP: She sounds like an amazing woman! It also takes a huge amount of discipline to be an Olympian. Where does this determination and perseverance come from? Is it something that is innate within you or did you have a role model growing up?
MM: I definitely believe it was due to my upbringing. My sisters and I were all born a year apart so the competitiveness was there from the beginning. After watching the 2000 Sydney Olympics, I knew I wanted to go. I wrote it in my dream journal and everything! I’m quite stubborn when it comes to wanting to achieve a goal and getting the most out of it, so I think it definitely was innate and I didn’t want to let anything get in my way. It’s just crazy to think I got to live out my childhood dream.
GP: How old were you when you decided you wanted to pursue sprinting seriously? And what were the steps you put in place to start achieving this goal of being a professional athlete?
MM: I was about 18. I just finished netball nationals and was selected in the Australian squad for that, but also made the World Junior Athletics Team that year too. Once I realised the athletics team was basically a mini Olympics for 17 and 18 year olds, I just ran with it. I knew in my heart it was the right thing to do because I had missed the sport so much (I took a four year break from athletics pre World Juniors). I guess it paid off in the end.
GP: What was the greatest challenge you faced in your career and how did you overcome it?
MM: I suffered from a serious injury when I was 18 due to domestic abuse that let me in hospital. It’s something I haven’t really talked about a lot but it definitely was a defining moment because mentally, it stuck with me long after the incident. I started to question my self-worth and my motivation for sport and life. I do feel like it’s something I’m still overcoming but I have an incredible support system around me and I can be open about my feelings—something I wasn’t great at doing for years. I also believe in giving back to the community, I think that helps give me a sense of gratefulness regardless of what happened, there’s always someone going through worse.
GP: That is a truly inspiring outlook to have on life. Thank you for being so open with us. In terms of career highlights, though, what has been the greatest moment so far?
MM: A highlight would definitely be going to the Olympics. Only because I had obsessed over it for the longest time. I also think teaching myself to play Fur Elise on the piano has to be up there. It has nothing to do with my career, but it’s something I am lowkey very proud of.
GP: Hey, a highlight is a highlight! What does a typical week of training look like for you and how do you remain motivated and keep pushing to improve?
MM: On Monday I jog, hit the gym and go to Jiu Jitsu. Tuesday is yoga and track. Wednesday is the same as Monday. Thursday is F45 and track. Friday is a day off or, if I’m feeling okay, yoga and Jiu Jitsu. Saturday is track and Sunday is a long run. Honestly, I love moving my body. That’s enough to keep me motivated. I hear a lot of people who are older than me or retired complain about ongoing soreness and injuries and that’s enough for me to want to get the most out of myself and my body while it works.
GP: What role does beauty play in your everyday life?
MM: Beauty plays a big role. As we all know, it starts from within. I think a good heart is what makes a person truly beautiful. I also love natural beauty. If I’m not heading to an event, I never wear makeup…not to girls’s dinners, dates, friends parties. Nothing! Only because I’m obsessed with skincare and good health and hate makeup stains on clothes. I admire people that love makeup, it’s like an art and to me, that’s beautiful. Same goes for a good skincare routine and hair care routine.
GP: And what are your top five favourite beauty products of all time?
MM: I love the Goop Lip Balm, the Maybelline Green Edition Superdrop Tinted Oil (this is iconic for me), the Clinique Facial Jelly, the Louis Vuitton Coeur Battant Perfume (thank me later) and the The Edit Luxury Night Oil (my secret to fake liquid foundation).
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