As

As
the world’s best under-18 heptathlete and high jumper, it is
clear why Great Britain’s Morgan Lake is a spokesperson for Nike, a
brand that’s constantly pushing boundaries and our editorial
partner in Iceland for our latest issue, Vol. 13: Boundaries. While
she may just be 18 years old, there is no denying she has already
raised the bar and exceeded previous limitations. If you need
proof, look no further than the record books, as Morgan has broken
12 major records, both national and international.

SUITCASE MAGAZINE: How did you get into sport? Did you
come from an athletic background?

MORGAN LAKE: I got into the sport at the age of
five when my parents took me to my local athletics club. My dad was
an athlete when he was younger, so I had a great insight into the
sport from a young age.

SM: Was it something that you always knew you wanted to
pursue professionally or was there a turning point for
you?

ML: I’ve always had a strong passion for
athletics and from a young age I would tell people that I wanted to
be an athlete when I grew up. However, the turning point for me was
when I won World Juniors in 2014.

SM: What was the hardest thing about breaking into the
industry?

ML: The hardest thing for me was having the
right set up, in terms of coaching, physio, nutrition etc. Now that
this is in place it makes it easier to focus on training knowing
that I have a great support system.

SM: In terms of staying motivated, is it ever a
situation of ‘mind over matter’? Does your mind ever create
boundaries – more so than physical limitations – or are you always
confident in your talent?

ML: A lot of the time, especially in training,
it is mind over matter. Being strong enough psychologically to do
one extra set or rep in the cold and rain is made easier by the
thought of success in the future.

SM: To what extent does being a successful athlete mean
that you’ve had to sacrifice your relationships and social life? In
terms of your personal life, are there sacrifices you’ve made that
you regret?

ML: I’ve had to make a lot of sacrifices
especially in my social life, which has made my teenage years a bit
different to most people. Obviously at times it’s natural to wish
that I could go out and spend time with my friends more, but in the
long-term I know it’s the right decision.

SM: As a young woman, do you ever think that there are
more boundaries for you to break?

ML: I think every athlete always wants a little
more and boundaries are a great source of motivation. I still have
one more year as a junior and I’m really looking to make the
Olympic Games next year.

SM: What has been your greatest
accomplishment?

ML: I think my greatest accomplishment was
winning the World Juniors for the heptathlon and high jump. A few
weeks before the competition I didn’t even know if I would be there
so to come home with two gold medals was a dream come true.

SM: What has been your greatest setback? How do you
deal with disappointment in your career?

ML: 2013 was a tough year for me especially
during the World Youth Championships in Ukraine. I went into day
two of the heptathlon in first place position but in the first
event of day two (long jump) I had run-up issues and failed to
record a score. This impacted on the rest of my competition and I
wasn’t mentally strong enough to carry on. The best way of dealing
with the disappointment for me was to push it aside, learn from it
and go straight back out there and compete again.

SM: What boundaries do you want to continue to push in
your career?

ML: The boundaries that I want to push are my
own psychological boundaries. In heptathlon it is really important
to stay focused and motivated throughout the two days so this is
something that I think will make my career more successful.

This article was written in collaboration with
Nike.