Stephanie Morton was born in Adelaide on 28 November 1990.[1][2] As of 2013[update], she works for the "Bee Safe on Bikes" education program for junior primary school students.[1]
Cycling
Morton is a member of South Coast Cycling Club and is part of Team Jayco AIS.[1] She started cycling competitively at the age of 15.[1] Competing at the 2011 National Keirin Final, she finished second behind Anna Meares.[1] She made her Australian national team debut at the 2011 Para-cycling Track World Championships with Felicity Johnson.[1] She has said forming a friendship and real partnership was key for the pair's success.[3]
At the 2013 Australian National Track Championships in Sydney, she came first in the keirin, individual sprint, and team sprint (with Rikki Belder).[1][8] In February 2014, she scored an upset win at the Australian track cycling championships by beating Anna Meares in the Keiren for the first time. Meares tweeted a photo of a cap that she had signed for Morton five years before, on which she had written: "Steph, maybe one day you'll beat me".[9]
At the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Morton competed in the track sprint and 500 m time trial, while Johnson had a new partner, Holly Takos.[10] Morton rode a personal best time of 34.079 in the 500 m time trial at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, but won silver after Anna Meares posted a faster time.[11] However, she defeated Meares in the track sprint, winning two heats to none in the best-of-three final to take the gold medal.[12]
Major results
2011
1st Tandem B – 1000m Time Trial, UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships (Pilot for Felicity Johnson)
1st Tandem B – 1000m Time Trial, New Zealand Oceania Para-Cycling Regional Cup (Pilot for Felicity Johnson)
2012
1st Tandem B – 1000m Time Trial, Paralympic Games (Pilot for Felicity Johnson)
UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships
1st Tandem B – 1000m Time Trial (Pilot for Felicity Johnson)
1st Tandem B – Sprint (Pilot for Felicity Johnson)