Olympic disappointment led to legal career for Durham judge
Posted July 30, 2021 6:05 p.m. EDT
Durham, N.C. — A state lawmaker and former district court judge in the Triangle was once an Olympic swimmer.
Marcia Morey is a state representative from Durham, where she spent 18 years as a district court judge.
Before she pursued a law career, she pursued a medal at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal.
"I was like a fish to water and started swimming when I was 6 years old," recalled Morey.
Morey started swimming in her hometown of Decatur, Illinois.
"It was one of the few sports girls could compete in," she said.
Morey said she didn't have her sights set on the Olympics until the Munich massacre, where 11 Israeli athletes were murdered by a Palestinian militant group at the 1972 Olympics.
"I vowed that I would do everything I could to represent our country and the Olympic ideal," said Morey.
In 1976, just before her 21st birthday, Morey became the co-captain of the U.S. Olympic Women's Swim Team, where she swam breast stroke.
Morey said the euphoria of being there would soon sink.
"I did not win any medals, which is still kind of a lump in my throat when I talk about it," she described.
The East Germany Women's Swim Team racked up the medals. Since that time, history has shown those wins to have been tainted by the use of performance-enhancing drugs.
Before the Olympics, Morey did win medals in a big competition. In 1975, she co-captained the U.S. Pan-American Swim Team, winning a bronze, a silver, and a gold medal.
But, then a producer of a documentary about the East Germany doping scandal asked Morey what she most remembered about the '76 games.
"I burst into tears and I said, 'I think I let people down when I did not do my best [and] when I did not win,'" said Morey.
That plunged her into depression.
"I had anorexia for several years. I went from a 155-pound swimmer to about 110 pounds, so there was a lot to it," said Morey. "It was pretty dark times."'
Morey said she gave up competition swimming and immersed herself in the law.
"I think it goes very closely with athletics ... about fair play. You do it for the right reason -- just like the law is," said Morey.
Morey worked as an investigator for the NCAA to look for cheating. Then, she moved to North Carolina - because she said she loved it there - and became an assistant district attorney in Durham.
She then rose to district court judge and advocated for troubled kids.
"Really trying to help them and get them to believe in themselves," said Morey.
Since 2017, Morey has served as a Democratic state representative in Durham County. She helped raised the age of juvenile court to include 16- and 17-year-olds.
Her Olympic experience, she said, has informed her life's work.
"You win with hard work, and you win with fairness, and you follow the rules," said Morey. "I think that's what led me to my career afterwards."
Morey said she has a backyard pool now and swims "most every day."
