“Hamp the Champ.” “Champton.”
American weightlifter Hampton Morris’ nicknames make his goals clear—the 20-year-old from Marietta, Georgia, is heading to Paris with only one thing on his mind: winning.
Morris comes into the Olympic Games Paris 2024 ranked second in weightlifting in the 61kg weight class behind Li Fabin, the defending Olympic gold medalist representing the People’s Republic of China.
Morris made history and sealed his Olympic berth on 2 April, at the 2024 IWF World Cup in Phuket, Thailand when he famously set a world record of 176 kilograms (388 pounds) clean and jerk in the 61kg weight class, breaking the record previously held by Li.
His total for the day was 303, combining his snatch of 127kg and his record 176kg clean and jerk. It won him gold in the clean and jerk category, but it wasn’t enough to win the overall event. That honour went to Li, his primary challenger in the 61kg category.
At that same event, Li strengthened his hold on first place, setting a new snatch world record of 146kg (321.8 pounds).
Morris is set to face off against Li again among the field of 10 men competing in the 61kg weight class in Paris.
While Morris has Li beat in the clean and jerk, he will need to improve his snatch if he is to overtake the defending gold medalist.
Morris comes into these Games as the USA’s best hope for a gold medal in men’s weightlifting — find out more about this young lifter from Georgia.
