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Jodie Grinham may be Paralympics They can’t wait to get on their first Eurostar train.
No sightseeing, no lingering over a hard-earned cup of coffee at a roadside cafe, and certainly no celebratory glass of white wine, she went straight home to see her family and midwife.
Greenham, who is seven months pregnant, was not looking to be one of the Olympic spectacles when she competed in para-archery, saying just a medal would make her sacrifices in recent weeks worthwhile.
In the individual compound archery event, she won the bronze medal, beating defending champion, teammate and friend Phoebe Paterson Pine by one point.
The 31-year-old, who next competes in the mixed team event, is a careful planner who can tell you exactly where the nearest maternity hospital is to her venue in the city center, Place des Invalides.
During four intense rounds of competition for medals, she felt the baby kick several times, and the unborn baby was obviously eager to wish her mother good luck.
Greenham, who was hospitalized last weekend because of concerns that her baby was not moving, spoke passionately about her desire to be a mother and an athlete, and hoped her story would serve as an example to others.
“The baby was kicking the whole time and it was almost like the baby was saying ‘what’s happening, it’s so loud, what are you doing mum’ but it kept reminding me that I had this bubble of support in my tummy,” said Greenham, who is part of Aldi’s Nearest and Dearest programme in partnership with Paralympic GB, which aims to maximise support for athletes and minimise potential distractions so they can focus on their performance.
“I’m proud of myself. I’ve had my share of struggles, it hasn’t been easy. But as long as I’m healthy and my baby is healthy, I know I can compete. I know that as long as I play my best, I can win a medal with or without the baby.
“There’s no stigma, and stereotypes about things are completely irrelevant. If you feel okay with it, do it. If you want to start jogging or going to the gym, if the doctor says it’s OK, then do it. If you’re happy and healthy, the baby will be happy and healthy. If I work in an office and they let me work another 12 weeks, what difference does it make?”
Although disappointed to miss out on a medal, Patterson Pyne was thinking only of her friend as they embraced after the win was decided by an arrow.
“I’m so proud of her. She’s overcome so many obstacles and achieved something incredible,” she said.
“She’s about to enter her pregnancy and she’s doing really well and working really hard. We’ve known each other since 2014 and have basically grown up together. We’ll continue to encourage each other and keep going.
“It made us get to know each other better. It was one of those situations where, on the day, things could have gone differently and I could have gone out and put on a great show.
“We will continue to train together and motivate each other, and it’s great to have such a talented teammate.”
Aldi is proud to be an official partner of Team GB and the British Paralympic Committee, supporting all athletes Paris 2024.
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