Last week, Great Britain’s Jodie Grinham made history by becoming the first openly pregnant athlete to win a Paralympic medal. The Paralympics official social media account shared the good news that the seven-month-pregnant archer secured bronze in the women's individual compound archery event at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. She competed despite concerns about how her pregnancy might impact her performance, and her victory isn’t just a personal one, but also a win for working moms everywhere.
Grinham has been open about her struggles with fertility and pregnancy loss, which delayed her attempts to start a family earlier in her career. After missing the Tokyo Paralympics due to injury, she and her partner welcomed their first child in 2022. She has said that she fully intends to pursue both her athletic career and motherhood, refusing to choose between the two.
With a bronze medal under her belt, Grinham could win another with the mixed team compound event still to go. She hopes that her achievements will inspire other women to realize that they can have it all and successfully balance their professional ambitions with family life.
Source: TODAY