McDonald attended Newington College in Sydney, Australia, completing his schooling in 2013.[3] He was a key member in Newington's 2011 GPS Senior Cross Country[4] and 2012 Senior Athletics[5] premierships. He won Newington's A.D.G. Stewart Trophy for 3000m running.[6]
In addition to his athletic achievements at Newington College, Morgan excelled in the classroom. He finished with an ATAR of 98.95, achieving a Band 6 (>90% raw mark) in three subjects: Ancient History, English Extension 1 and Physics.[7]
Prep
McDonald won the 2007 Australian U12 National Cross Country Championship.
McDonald won the 2009 Australian U14 National Cross Country Championship.
McDonald won the 2011 Australian U16 National Cross Country Championship.
McDonald was the 2012 U18 Australian National 3000 meters Champion.
McDonald won the 2012 Australian U18 National Cross Country Championship.
McDonald won the 2013 Australian U18 National Cross Country Championship.
McDonald represented Australia in the 2013 World Junior Cross Country Championship in the U20 division at the age of 16 in Bydgoszcz, Poland and again in 2015 in Guiyang, China at the age of 18.
McDonald ran in the 2014 Australian Nationals in the 5000 meters for the U20 division.
McDonald won the 2018 Australian National 5000m in 2018, in a time of 13.19.05 (a record for the National championship).
McDonald competed and finished 10th in the 5000 meters in the U20 division at the 2014 World Junior Athletics Championships in Hayward Field, Eugene.[8]
In July 2019, McDonald signed with Under Armour.[10] After a period continuing to train under Wisconsin head coach Mick Byrne, McDonald relocated to Boulder, CO, where he trained under Joe Bosshard until June 2021, when he left Under Armour and Bosshard and signed with the On Athletics Club.[11][12][13] In 2021, McDonald represented Australia in the 5000m at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, where he failed to advance from the qualifying heats.[14]
McDonald launched his Olympics campaign in early 2024, running a 13:07.30 5000m indoors at the Boston University John Thomas Terrier Classic.[17] At his first Australian Athletics Championship since 2018, McDonald was narrowly outleaned for the victory in the 5000 m and finished just 0.05 seconds behind the winner, Matthew Ramsden. In May 2024, McDonald ran a personal best in the 5000 m at the USATF LA Grand Prix in 13:00.48,[18] achieving the Olympic standard in the process.
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