History has been made at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games after Great Britain’s Jodie Grinham became the first pregnant Paralympic athlete to win a gold medal.
The para-archer and her partner Nathan Macqueen scooped gold after beating Iran 155-151 in the final of the mixed team compound.
Grinham said she wanted to send a powerful message with her participation in the Paralympics despite being seven months pregnant.
While her feat has gained the attention of the international media, she had to overcome some antenatal challenges to participate.
Grinham wins gold despite being pregnant
According to the BBC, Grinham endured a scare last week and had to attend a hospital for a check-up before being cleared to go ahead and compete.
« All I wanted to do at the end was jump up and down and cry and scream and shout. But being heavily pregnant, realistically the best thing to do was crouch down and take a second and then I could give hugs and things,” she said afterwards.
« The emotion was just a wave and it was like being a child at Christmas and getting your favourite toy. »
Grinham also commended her partner Nathan Macqueen, who put up a spirited display en route to their victory in the mixed team compound final.
« The idea was to show that nothing is impossible and to go out there and smash it. Thankfully I have an amazing team partner and it doesn’t matter how I will shoot, I know he will be there and carry my back and we smashed it together.
« We are an amazing team and are bringing back the medal that we have worked so hard to get,” she added.
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