Pregnant Jodie Grinham making history in Paris

There’s a saying about ‘wanting it all’ - motherhood, a career, throw Paralympic gold in there and you’ve got Jodie Grinham.

Grinham set a new personal best to rank fourth in qualifying at the Paralympic archery, not bad considering just four days earlier she was ‘wired up’ in a Paris maternity hospital.

The 31-year-old was exactly seven months pregnant when she started her campaign on Esplanade des Invalides, a place that has witnessed plenty of history and now the first Paralympian to compete at such a late stage of pregnancy.

Grinham, a silver medallist eight years ago in Rio, makes no secret she’s a meticulous planner - and it’s exactly eight minutes by car to the nearest hospital.

“I’m pregnant, so what? I’ve I worked in an office they’d be fine for me working there until I’m 39 weeks,” she said. “So, what’s the difference for me competing at the Paralympics?

“I want to be a mother and an athlete. I’m not willing to sacrifice either of them. At home I am mummy but if I’m in athlete mode that is my mindset and total focus.

“On Saturday baby had stopped moving and we weren’t sure whether I was having a contraction or Brakton Hicks or whether I was starting to dilute, so I spent the day in one of the lovely maternity wards here in Paris.

“It was just about getting me here, getting me competing and getting me home to see the midwife as soon as possible, hopefully with a medal too.

“I was looked after so well, they told me there was no point saying to rest because I’m here to compete. I feel really good, baby is perfectly healthy, I’m healthy and we’ve just got to make sure nothing progresses.”

Grinham’s score in qualifying earned her progression though, straight to the last 16 of the competition - more importantly securing her a prized ‘day off’, though don’t expect her to sit in the athletes’ village with her feet up.

“It’s brilliant to get that score, I want to compete,” she added. “I didn’t want this Games to just be about a pregnant woman taking part, I’m here for that podium. I know I can do more, it’s a personal best but there’s lots of room for improvement.”

Grinham is the first to acknowledge this Paris campaign owes a lot to her friends and family, especially partner Chris, who is back at home looking after their toddler Christian, and her two sisters.

“I really wasn’t sure about having children because I didn’t want to lose my career but Chris has supported me so much,” she said.

“My two sisters are always stepping in too, there are such hands-on Aunties and I couldn’t do this without all that support. No one is coming out because I really just want to focus and have no distraction but my friends and family make this possible.”