VIDEO EXCLUSIVE: U.S. Weightlifting Star Hampton Morris Aims For Gold in Paris 2024

As the Paris 2024 Olympics roll on, the spotlight shines brightly on Hampton Morris, a rising star in the world of Olympic weightlifting. With a journey that began in the heart of CrossFit gyms, Morris has swiftly ascended the ranks to become one of America’s most promising weightlifters.

Morris shared how he got started in weightlifting. “I grew up in CrossFit gyms because both my parents worked out and coached CrossFit. My mom still coaches, so I was always around barbell sports,” he said. Being surrounded by this environment helped spark his early interest in strength training.

At the age of 10, Morris began dabbling in weightlifting alongside other strength training exercises to boost his performance in soccer. His first local weightlifting meet came at age 12, a pivotal moment that ignited his passion for the sport. “About a year after that was my first youth national championships, and it was after that competition that I decided to stop playing soccer and just focus only on weightlifting,” Morris explained.

Morris’ hard work in weightlifting quickly paid off. By 16, he was already well-known nationally, breaking several American youth records. His impressive results earned him a place on the U.S. Youth National Team, where he continued to shine and win gold medals at international events.

In 2021, Morris took part in the IWF Junior World Championships and won a bronze medal in the 61kg weight class. This success showed he was a top competitor and set him up for future success on the global stage.