View source for Kelly Morgan

{{short description|British badminton player}}
{{For|the English boxer and javelin thrower|Kelly Morgan (athlete)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2012}}
{{infobox badminton player
| name = Kelly Aston
| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|MBE}} [[OLY]]
| birth_name = Kelly Ann Morgan<ref name="BBCMBEs"/>
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1975|05|22|df=yes}}<ref name="SR Olympics 2"/>
| birth_place = [[Pontypridd]], [[Mid Glamorgan]], Wales
| height = {{convert|5|ft|10|in|cm|abbr=on}}<ref name="SR Olympics 2"/>
| weight = {{convert|65|kg|lb|abbr=on}}<ref name="SR Olympics 2"/>
| handedness = Right
| medal_templates =
{{MedalSport | Women's [[badminton]] }}
{{MedalCountry | {{WAL}} }}
{{MedalCompetition | [[Badminton at the Commonwealth Games|Commonwealth Games]] }}
{{MedalGold | [[Badminton at the 1998 Commonwealth Games|1998 Kuala Lumpur]] | Women's singles }}
{{MedalCompetition | [[European Badminton Championships|European Championships]] }}
{{MedalSilver | [[1998 European Badminton Championships|1998 Sofia]] | Women's singles }}
{{MedalBronze | [[2000 European Badminton Championships|2000 Glasgow]] | Women's singles }}
}}
'''Kelly Ann Aston''' ({{nee|'''Morgan'''}}, born 22 May 1975) is a Welsh [[badminton]] player. She has represented Wales and Great Britain in regional and international competitions, including the [[Olympics]] and the [[Commonwealth Games]], winning gold in the [[1998 Commonwealth Games]], and beat world number one Ye Zhaoying of China in the [[1999 IBF World Championships]].

== Career ==
Aston began playing badminton at age nine. Her brother, Ross, was initially trying for the Welsh national team, and she only made the team as a result of accompanying him to the trials.<ref name="IndRacket"/>

In 1999, Aston was voted Welsh Woman of the Year;<ref name="IndRacket"/> she was appointed a [[Member of the Order of the British Empire]] (MBE) in the [[2002 Birthday Honours]] for "services to the community, especially through Sport, in South Wales."<ref name="BBCMBEs">{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/uk/2002/birthday_honours_2002/2045233.stm|title=MBEs: I – M|website=[[BBC News]]|date=14 June 2002|access-date=31 December 2015}}</ref><ref name="BBCHonoured"/><ref>{{London Gazette |issue=56595 |date=15 June 2002 |supp=y |pages=19 }}</ref>

Aston won 13 consecutive Women's Singles titles at the Welsh National Badminton Championships between 1992 and 2004, as well as six Women's Doubles and 4 Mixed Doubles titles. In 1998, she received a gold medal representing Wales at the [[Badminton at the 1998 Commonwealth Games|Commonwealth Games]], won silver at the [[1998 European Badminton Championships]], and bronze at the [[2000 European Badminton Championships]]. She also represented Great Britain at the [[Badminton at the 1996 Summer Olympics|1996]], [[Badminton at the 2000 Summer Olympics|2000]] and [[Badminton at the 2004 Summer Olympics|2004]] Olympic Games.{{citation needed|date=August 2020}}

== Personal life ==
Aston was born in [[Pontypridd]] and attended [[Bryn Celynnog Comprehensive School]].<ref name="SR Olympics 2">{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/mo/kelly-morgan-1.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418025402/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/mo/kelly-morgan-1.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 April 2020|title=Kelly Morgan|access-date=31 December 2015|website=[[Sports Reference]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/south_east/7612524.stm|title=Golden swimmer with a will to win|website=[[BBC News]]|date=14 September 2008|access-date=31 December 2015}}</ref> She married her husband, Dylan Aston, in 2002, and has two children, Ethan and Ella.<ref name="IndRacket"/><ref name="Khaleej"/> {{as of|2015|12}} is a teacher at the [[GEMS Education|GEMS]] Wellington Academy-Al Khail in [[Dubai]].<ref name="Khaleej">{{cite news|url=http://www.khaleejtimes.com/article/20141014/ARTICLE/310149879/1050|title=Commonwealth gold medallist Kelly in Dubai|first=Monl|last=Matthew|date=14 October 2014|access-date=31 December 2015|newspaper=[[Khaleej Times]]|archive-date=5 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305133154/http://www.khaleejtimes.com/article/20141014/ARTICLE/310149879/1050|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://gemswellingtonacademy-alkhail.com/contents.php?pageid=4766&submenuid=5639&parentid=1103|title=Meet our Faculty|website=GEMS Wellington Academy-Al Kahail|access-date=31 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304072013/http://gemswellingtonacademy-alkhail.com/contents.php?pageid=4766&submenuid=5639&parentid=1103|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> She has also been heavily involved in charity work, particularly relating to [[Down syndrome]], and was the patron of the Down's Syndrome Association of Wales.<ref name="BBCHonoured">{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/wales/2046067.stm|title=Badminton star Morgan honoured|date=14 June 2002|access-date=31 December 2015|website=[[BBC Sport]]}}</ref><ref name="IndRacket">{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/incoming/badminton-morgan-the-racket-seeks-action-replay-of-greatest-moment-186236.html|title=Badminton: Morgan the Racket seeks action replay of greatest moment|first=Nick|last=Harris|date=28 July 2002|access-date=31 December 2015|newspaper=[[The Independent]]}}</ref>

==Achievements==

=== Commonwealth Games ===
''Women’s singles''
{| class="sortable wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;"
! Year
! Venue
! Opponent
! Score
! Result
|- style="background:#FFE4B5"
| align="center" |[[Badminton at the 1998 Commonwealth Games|1998]]
| align="left" |[[Kuala Lumpur Badminton Stadium]], [[Kuala Lumpur]], [[Malaysia]]
| align="left" |{{flagicon|IND}} [[Aparna Popat]]
| align="left" | 13–10, 11–5
| style="text-align:left; background:white" |[[File:Med 1.png|Gold]] '''Gold'''
|}

=== European Championships ===
''Women's singles''
{| class="sortable wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;"
!|Year
!|Venue
!|Opponent
!|Score
!|Result
|-
|- style="background:#ECF2FF"
| align="center" | [[2000 European Badminton Championships|2000]]
| align="left" | [[Kelvin Hall International Sports Arena]], [[Glasgow]], Scotland
| align="left" | {{flagicon|DEN}} [[Camilla Martin]]
| align="left" | 11–4, 6–11, 1–11
| style="text-align:left; background:white" | [[File:Med 3.png|Bronze]] '''Bronze'''
|-
|- style="background:#ECF2FF"
| align="center" | [[1998 European Badminton Championships|1998]]
| align="left" | [[Winter Sports Palace]], [[Sofia, Bulgaria]]
| align="left" | {{flagicon|DEN}} [[Camilla Martin]]
| align="left" | 2–11, 4–11
| style="text-align:left; background:white" | [[File:Med 2.png|Silver]] '''Silver'''
|}

===IBF World Grand Prix===
The World Badminton Grand Prix has been sanctioned by the International Badminton Federation since 1983.

''Women's singles''
{| class="sortable wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;"
! Year
! Tournament
! Opponent
! Score
! Result
|- style="background:#D4F1C5"
| align="center"| 1997
| align="left"| [[Dutch Open (badminton)|Dutch Open]]
| align="left"| {{flagicon|NED}} [[Judith Meulendijks]]
| align="left"| 9–11, 11–6, 8–11
| style="text-align:left; background:white"| {{silver2}} '''Runner-up'''
|-
|- style="background:#D4F1C5"
| align="center"| 2003
| align="left"| [[US Open Badminton Championships|US Open]]
| align="left"| {{flagicon|KOR}} [[Lee Eun-woo (badminton)|Lee Eun-woo]]
| align="left"| 13–10, 7–11, 11–5
| style="text-align:left; background:white"| {{gold1}} '''Winner'''
|-
|}

''Women's doubles''
{| class="sortable wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;"
! Year
! Tournament
! Partner
! Opponent
! Score
! Result
|-
|-
|- style="background:#D4F1C5"
| align="center" | 1996
| align="left" | [[Polish Open (badminton)|Polish Open]]
| align="left" | {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Joanne Muggeridge]]
| align="left" | {{flagicon|SWE}} [[Christine Magnusson|Christine Gandrup]] <br /> {{flagicon|SWE}} [[Marina Andrievskaya]]
| align="left" | 10–15, 8–15
| style="text-align:left; background:white" | {{silver2}} '''Runner-up'''
|-
|-
|- style="background:#D4F1C5"
| align="center" | 1997
| align="left" | [[Dutch Open (badminton)|Dutch Open]]
| align="left" | {{flagicon|DEN}} [[Pernille Harder (badminton)|Pernille Harder]]
| align="left" | {{flagicon|NED}} [[Erica van den Heuvel]] <br /> {{flagicon|NED}} [[Monique Hoogland]]
| align="left" | 15–9, 15–9
| style="text-align:left; background:white" | {{gold1}} '''Winner'''
|-
|}

=== IBF International ===
''Women's singles''
{|  class="sortable wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;"
!|Year
!|Tournament
!|Opponent
!|Score
!|Result
|-
|- style="background:#D5D5D5" 
|align="center"| 2003
|align="left"| [[Irish Open (badminton)|Irish International]]
|align="left"| {{flagicon|DEN}} [[Tine Rasmussen]]
|align="left"| 9–11, 5–11
|style="text-align:left; background:white"| {{silver2}} '''Runner-up'''
|-
|- style="background:#D5D5D5" 
|align="center"| 2003
|align="left"| [[USA International|Southern PanAm Classic]]
|align="left"| {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Kanako Yonekura]]
|align="left"| 2–11, 3–11
|style="text-align:left; background:white"| {{silver2}} '''Runner-up'''
|-
|- style="background:#D5D5D5" 
|align="center"| 2003
|align="left"| [[Brazil International]]
|align="left"| {{flagicon|JPN}} [[Miho Tanaka (badminton)|Miho Tanaka]]
|align="left"| 8–11, 2–11
|style="text-align:left; background:white"| {{silver2}} '''Runner-up'''
|-
|- style="background:#D5D5D5" 
|align="center"|2003
|align="left"| [[Peru International]]
|align="left"| {{flagicon|ESP}} [[Dolores Marco]]
|align="left"| 11–9, 11–5
|style="text-align:left; background:white"| {{gold1}} '''Winner'''
|-
|- style="background:#D5D5D5" 
|align="center"| 2003
|align="left"| [[Croatian International]]
|align="left"| {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Pi Hongyan]]
|align="left"| 11–6, 5–11, 4–11
|style="text-align:left; background:white"| {{silver2}} '''Runner-up'''
|-
|- style="background:#D5D5D5" 
|align="center"| 2003
|align="left"| [[Polish International]]
|align="left"| {{flagicon|GER}} [[Xu Huaiwen]]
|align="left"| 5–11, 11–9, 3–11
|style="text-align:left; background:white"| {{silver2}} '''Runner-up'''
|-
|- style="background:#D5D5D5" 
|align="center"| 2002
|align="left"| [[Mexican Open (badminton)|Mexico International]]
|align="left"| {{flagicon|PER}} [[Sandra Jimeno]]
|align="left"| 11–1, 11–2
|style="text-align:left; background:white"| {{gold1}} '''Winner'''
|-
|- style="background:#D5D5D5" 
|align="center"| 2001
|align="left"| [[Scottish Open (badminton)|Scottish International]]
|align="left"| {{flagicon|DEN}} [[Christina Sørensen]]
|align="left"| 8–6, 7–2, 5–7, 6–8, 5–7
|style="text-align:left; background:white"| {{silver2}} '''Runner-up'''
|-
|- style="background:#D5D5D5" 
|align="center"| 1997
|align="left"| [[French Open (badminton)|French International]]
|align="left"| {{flagicon|SWE}} [[Karolina Ericsson]]
|align="left"| 12–9, 11–3
|style="text-align:left; background:white"| {{gold1}} '''Winner'''
|-
|- style="background:#D5D5D5" 
|align="center"| 1996
|align="left"| [[Welsh International]]
|align="left"| {{flagicon|SWE}} [[Karolina Ericsson]]
|align="left"| 11–4, 11–4
|style="text-align:left; background:white"| {{gold1}} '''Winner'''
|-
|- style="background:#D5D5D5" 
|align="center"| 1996
|align="left"| [[Norwegian International]]
|align="left"| {{flagicon|SWE}} [[Marina Andrievskaya]]
|align="left"| 9–5, 9–0, 4–9, 9–8
|style="text-align:left; background:white"| {{gold1}} '''Winner'''
|-
|- style="background:#D5D5D5" 
|align="center"| 1996
|align="left"| [[Arctic Open|Finnish International]]
|align="left"| {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Joanne Muggeridge]]
|align="left"| 10–12, 5–11
|style="text-align:left; background:white"| {{silver2}} '''Runner-up'''
|}

''Women's doubles''
{| class="sortable wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;"
!|Year
!|Tournament
!|Partner
!|Opponent
!|Score
!|Result
|-
|- style="background:#D5D5D5"
| align="center" | 1996
| align="left" | [[Welsh International]]
| align="left" | {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Sarah Hardaker]]
| align="left" | {{flagicon|NED}} [[Brenda Conjin]] <br /> {{flagicon|NED}} [[Nicole van Hooren]]
| align="left" | 15–6, 10–15, 4–15
| style="text-align:left; background:white" | {{silver2}} '''Runner-up'''
|-
|- style="background:#D5D5D5"
| align="center" | 1996
| align="left" | [[Arctic Open|Finnish International]]
| align="left" | {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Joanne Muggeridge]]
| align="left" | {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Nichola Beck]] <br /> {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Joanne Davies]]
| align="left" | 15–3, 15–10
| style="text-align:left; background:white" | {{gold1}} '''Winner'''
|-
|- style="background:#D5D5D5"
| align="center" | 1995
| align="left" | [[Portugal International]]
| align="left" | {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Sarah Hore]]
| align="left" | {{flagicon|DEN}} [[Mette Hansen]] <br /> {{flagicon|DEN}} [[Majken Vange]]
| align="left" | 6–15, 17–14, 12–15
| style="text-align:left; background:white" | {{silver2}} '''Runner-up'''
|-
|- style="background:#D5D5D5"
| align="center" | 1994
| align="left" | [[Hungarian International]]
| align="left" | {{flagicon|DEN}} [[Anne Søndergaard]]
| align="left" | {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Sarah Hardaker]] <br /> {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Rebecca Pantaney]]
| align="left" | 8–15, 11–15
| style="text-align:left; background:white" | {{silver2}} '''Runner-up'''
|}

''Mixed doubles''
{| class="sortable wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;"
!|Year
!|Tournament
!|Partner
!|Opponent
!|Score
!|Result
|-
|- style="background:#D5D5D5"
| align="center" | 2004
| align="left" | [[Welsh International]]
| align="left" | {{flagicon|WAL}} [[Matthew Hughes (badminton)|Matthew Hughes]]
| align="left" | {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Chris Langridge]] <br /> {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Caroline Westley]]
| align="left" | 17–14, 8–15, 15–7
| style="text-align:left; background:white" | {{gold1}} '''Winner'''
|}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{BWFB|3781}}
* {{BWFT|433F118C-8724-4E09-9C74-7919BE583BDA|member_id=3781}}
* {{Olympedia}}
* {{Olympics.com|kelly-morgan}}
* {{Team GB|64MYUhmxXfEUbRIu06ztmO}}
* {{CGF profile|42191}}
* {{2006 Commonwealth Games profile|106892}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Morgan, Kelly}}
[[Category:Welsh female badminton players]]
[[Category:1975 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Badminton players at the 1996 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Badminton players at the 2000 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Badminton players at the 2004 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games gold medallists for Wales]]
[[Category:Badminton players at the 1998 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Badminton players at the 2006 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Olympic badminton players for Great Britain]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Pontypridd]]
[[Category:Members of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games gold medallists in badminton]]
[[Category:Badminton players at the 2002 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Medallists at the 1998 Commonwealth Games]]