When University of North Florida sophomore Morgan Ray first heard that he would represent Team USA at the 2024 Paralympic Games, his first reaction wasn’t quite what one would expect.

“You don’t want to cheer because you want to be courteous to the people who weren’t named [on the team,]” Ray said. “When I heard my name I started crying silently.”

Ray’s journey to becoming a Paralympian began when he was just 6 years old. He said that swimming on a team with his older brother motivated him to be a better athlete. 

“My older brother Mason was the one who really got me into sports,” Ray said. “Just following him and trying to play catchup… he really pushed me and it taught me to play with the bigger kids.”

Ray was diagnosed with achondroplasia at a young age, a form of dwarfism, which limited what he could do athletically. His condition makes him more prone to joint and back pain, which means high-impact sports like football or basketball can be painful.  He noticed that swimming puts the least amount of pressure on his joints. 

“When I was 6, I started to notice kids were bigger than me,” Ray said. “When I saw kids start to grow bigger and quicker than me, it was hard to accept.”

Rather than it get in the way, Ray used his condition to fuel what he calls an “underdog mindset.”

“Mason pushed me to embrace that underdog mindset and to have fun with it,” Ray said. “I thrive in that environment of having something to prove.”

“A long road”

Ray switched from summer to year-round swimming when he was 11 and made his first Paralympic national team at 15. While there was still more work to do, the St. Augustine native felt hope after making the national team. 

“It was still a long road after [making the national team], but it was that initial ‘I can actually pursue [swimming]’ moment,” Ray reflected.

Ray said that while his journey has felt long at times, it’s also flown by. Ray mentioned that after the Paralympic trials, the whole process started to speed up. 

Back in 2021, Ray was the first alternate selected for USA’s Para Swimming at the Tokyo Paralympics. 

Ray dove back into the competition at the 2022 World Para Swimming Championships, but not without his fair share of obstacles. He was unable to attend his team’s relay event after testing positive for COVID-19 and was sidelined from the pool for five days. 

When he returned to the pool, Ray won a silver medal for the men’s 100 meter breaststroke.

“In a relay I was supposed to compete in, I watched my teammates get gold and it stung alot,” Ray said. “My mind is what drove me to my silver medal.”

After all the setbacks, Ray said he relies on his faith to keep a positive attitude. 

“That’s been my rock in everything, sports and school,” Ray said.

Paralympic Trials

As he went into the Paralympic trials, Ray thought about every moment that led up to decision day. He mentioned that his 100 meter breaststroke is what earned him a spot on Team USA and said he felt better after posting a good time. 

Ray drew parallels between the Team USA trials and the popular television show, American Idol, saying that all the athletes wait in a room and listen for their name. 

“After my name was called, my teammates turned around and looked at me,” Ray said. “A lot of them know how much this means and how much work I put into this.” 

Ray qualified for the 2024 Paralympics on June 30 after winning two races at the U.S. Paralympic trials in Minnesota. 

Since this is Ray’s first games, he said Paralympic veterans have told him to take it all in and enjoy the moment. 

Currently, Ray is at the Paralympic Training Center in Colorado preparing for his upcoming events in Paris. 

Paris 2024

Ray has spent the days leading up to the Paris 2024 Paralympics walking, conditioning and swimming. While he’d love to earn a spot on the podium, he said his main goal is to have fun and live in the moment. 

“I mainly want to have the most fun I can,” Ray said. “I’m just so happy to already be at this level, it’s just such a long time coming.”

Ray said he’s had a couple UNF professors reach out ahead of the 2024 games. He said he’s excited to represent UNF and Team USA. 

“It’s really cool to start that legacy for UNF,” Ray said. “I want to represent UNF well, the state of Florida well and our whole country well.”

Ray voiced his excitement to swim for the U.S., citing their recent Olympic success. 

“I’m on Team USA and we kick butt.”

The Paralympic Games take place Aug. 28 to Sept. 8. Ray will compete in at least two events, the 200-meter individual medley and the 100-meter breaststrokes. 

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