Morgan Bird
Canadian para swimmer (born 1993)
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Morgan Bird (born September 6, 1993) is a Canadian para swimmer who competes in international level events, she specialises in freestyle. She won a bronze medal, at the 2020 Summer Paralympics, in Women's 34pts 4x100m relay.[1] She is a double Parapan American Games champion and double World silver medalist.[2][3][4]
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Nickname | Birdie | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | September 6, 1993 Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Home town | Montreal, Quebec, Canada | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 163 cm (5 ft 4 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Country |  Canada | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Para swimming | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Disability | Cerebral palsy | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Disability class | S8 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coached by | Mike Thompson | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Early life and education
Morgan Bird was born in Regina, Saskatchewan in 1993 to parents Garth and Heidi Bird.[5] She was born with cerebral palsy affecting the left side of her body.[6] She began swimming as physiotherapy for her cerebral palsy[7] and started swimming competitively at age 11.[5] She has a bachelor of child studies from Mount Royal University in Calgary.[8]
Career
Bird made her Paralympic debut at the London 2012 Paralympic Games. She placed fourth in the women's 400 m freestyle S8.[5] Alongside four members of Canada's 2012 Olympic Team and 10 fellow members Canada's Paralympic Team, she received a Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal later that year.[9] She won her first international medal at the 2013 IPC World Championships, winning bronze in both the 50m freestyle and in the relay.[5]
Bird placed fourth in the S8 100-m freestyle at the 2014 Commonwealth Games[8] At the 2015 Parapan American Games, she won gold in both the women's 400-metre freestyle S8 and 50-metre freestyle S8.[10] She also won silver in the women's S8 100-metre freestyle.[11] She placed fifth in the S8100-m freestyle at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. Bird won silver in the women’s 50m freestyle S8 at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.[12] Also at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, Bird moved up a category and competed in the S9 women's 100-m freestyle.[8]
On a team with Katarina Roxon, Sabrina Duchesne, and Aurelie Rivard, Bird swam the opening leg and won a bronze medal at the 2020 Summer Paralympics, in Women's 34pts 4x100m relay.[13][14]
Bird announced her retirement from competitive para-swimming in 2021.[15]
