Paralympics-Britain’s Grinham becomes first pregnant athlete to win Paralympics medal

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(Reuters) – British archer Jodie Grinham became the first pregnant Paralympics athlete to win a medal when she took bronze in women’s individual compound, official Paralympics social media accounts said on Saturday.

Seven months pregnant, 31-year-old Grinham held her nerves to beat Tokyo Paralympics gold medallist and friend Phoebe Paterson Pine by a razor-thin 142-141 scoreline in Friday’s bronze medal match-up.

“Baby hasn’t stopped kicking,” Grinham said. “It’s almost like baby’s going, what’s going on? It’s really loud, mommy what are you doing? But it’s been a lovely reminder of the support bubble I have in my belly.

“I’m really proud of myself, I’ve had difficulties and it’s not been easy. But as long as I’m healthy and baby’s healthy, I knew I could compete. I knew if I shot as well as I could, baby or not, I could come back as a medal.”

Grinham will hope to win a second medal when she competes in the mixed team compound quarter-finals on Monday along with Nathan McQueen.

(Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in Bengaluru; Editing by Michael Perry)