Five times British women’s road race cycling champion Marie Morgan has been appointed as an Ambassador for the Isle of Man Commonwealth Games Association. The CGA is appointing Ambassadors to represent the Association and help to promote its vital role as a registered charity responsible for organising and raising funds for Team Isle of Man. Marie said she was honoured at the invitation to become an Ambassador and delighted to accept the role. She will help to promote IoM CGA activities and fundraising events in the build up to the next Commonwealth Games which will be in Glasgow in 2014.
Marie - formerly Marie Purvis - was the first Briton to win a stage of the women’s Tour de France. She won a mountain stage at Vaujany in the Alps on the way to finishing sixth on general classification in the 1993 Tour. In a glittering career as a road racer she represented the Isle of Man at the Commonwealth Games in New Zealand in 1990 and was fourth in the road race in Canada in 1994. She also represented Team GB at the Olympic Games in 1992 and 1996, and at four World Road Race Championships. At the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona she was leading the road race in the final miles when a puncture put paid to her chances of victory. In addition to being an accomplished rider in massed start road races, Marie was also a strong time-triallist and won British national titles over 10miles (1992) and 25miles (1992). In 1995 she broke the British women’s Hour Record at Manchester Velodrome - the record stood for 14 years. After retiring from competitive cycling Marie took up long distance running and won gold in the half-marathon when representing the Isle of Man at the 2001 Island Games.
Marie grew up in Manchester but moved to the Island when she was 11. She joined Ramsey Crookall & Co in 1987 and gained a wide range of experience over the years by working in most of the firm's departments, including settlements and accounts. Marie now works as a Dealer at Ramsey Crookall & Co. In 1999 she joined the Securities & Investment Institute and is now a Chartered Member. Marie said:
“I’m delighted and honoured to accept the role as a Team Isle of Man Ambassador. I have such great memories of representing the Island at the Commonwealth Games, so I’m looking forward to helping others achieving a place at the next Games in Glasgow. It will mean a lot to me to put something back into sport and to play a part in helping someone else realize their own ambitions at the Games."
The Commonwealth Games is a fantastic sporting occasion in its own right, but it can also open up new opportunities, as it did for Marie. She added:
“I had to compete in the UK to achieve qualification standards for the Commonwealth Games, and just by doing that it brought me to the attention of the British Cycling Federation, and this ultimately led to Olympic selection for Barcelona 1992.”
Marie is the second leading sports figure to be appointed as a Team Isle of Man Ambassador. The first was Neil MacGregor who for the last 36 years has been a PE teacher and also active in the Island’s sporting community as a coach, competitor and administrator. Commenting on Marie’s appointment, Juliet Holt, President of the Isle of Man Commonwealth Games Association, said:
“Marie’s career shows how important the Commonwealth Games is, and how it can also be a stepping stone to competing at Olympic and World Championship level. We’re delighted that Marie has agreed to become our second Team Isle of Man Ambassador and she will play a valuable role inspiring competitors in all sports aiming to follow her example and represent Team Isle of Man at the Commonwealth Games.”
For more information about the Isle of Man Commonwealth Games Association and Team Isle of Man go to www.cga.im.
Photo - Marie riding for Team Isle of Man in the road race at the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, Canada.
