Olympian Sophia Learning And Improving

Olympian Sophia Morgan will have to improve on her starts should she have a chance to compete against the best at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France in July says mother and manager Catherine Morgan.

The 20 year old sailor is currently participating at the 2024 International Laser Class Association 6 Women's World Championship in Mar del Plata, Argentina from January 3rd to 10th.

Sophia was assigned to the silver fleet of the competition following a series of qualifying ranking races between  100 sailors with the top 50 placed in the gold fleet section of the competition.

Catherine said not it was not the greatest results so far but like always Sophia was learning and improving.

"We were fortunate to have a familiar face around in former Team Fiji coach and Argentinean Pato Jamardo who coached the sailing team to the Pacific Games in 2019," she said.

"As her coaches say - you have to give it a good 12 years to become a top ILCA sailor.

"Sophia is very young at 20 years when most of the top sailors are in their 30’s," Catherine said.

While disappointed, Sophia who is an Olympic Solidarity Scholarship recipient holder, is focused and hopes to  get better after this experience.

"Argentina is a very different place to sail being in  the Southern Atlantic Ocean. Wherever Sophia sails in the world  it's always a very different playing field for each event but valuable experience gained.

"There’s currents, tides and winds to contend with, then you also have different time zones example jet lag as well as various climate conditions.

"Plus you are not at home and therefore  outside your comfort zone," Catherine said.

She said Sophia was currently competing with the very best ILCA sailors in the world with individual sailors still vying for their countries Olympic spot.

"The competition does not get any tougher than this, big start lines with 50 boats all jostling for pole position.

"One coach told her to practise her starts in Argentina and she has done this well and learnt so much along the way," she said.

Catherine said Sophia would need to train in Europe prior to Paris but they would need to raise funds to do this.

"Her current IOC scholarship support is an  immense help that  she could not train and compete  without," she said.

"Sophia  has also received some assistance from World Sailing through the Youth Emerging Nations Program and we are truly grateful for this assistance."

Sophia along with Viliame Ratului have secured Fiji two spots and join Rugby Sevens men’s and women’s teams as the only sports that have qualified on merit so far for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France this July.

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