{{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"/>
Morgan won the 1998 Rhondda Cynon Taff Sports Personality of the Year<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003613/19990408/011/0011 |title=Sports Personality of the Year |work=Aberdare Leader |p=11 |date=8 April 1999 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=25 February 2026}}</ref> and 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 1994 Commonwealth Games]] [[Category:Badminton players at the 1998 Commonwealth Games]] [[Category:Badminton players at the 2002 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:Medallists at the 1998 Commonwealth Games]]