“Thankfully, I shoot sideways, so the bump doesn’t usually have an effect,” says British para archer, whose electric pink, purple, and blue hair will make her stand out at the Paris Paralympics. But it is not just her vibrant hairstyle that will capture attention—it’s also her baby bump. At 28 weeks pregnant, she is balancing her sporting dreams with a high-risk pregnancy. 

This decision echoes her past challenges, as she faced severe complications with her first child, Christian, at the same stage. Despite clinching a victory before the Games, why risk so much to compete in Paris? The 31-year-old choice highlights the demanding intersection of elite sport and pregnancy, setting the bar high for future athletes.

British archer reveals why she’s chasing her dream despite risky pregnancy

Recently, World Archery shared a triumphant moment on X, showcasing British archer Jodie Grinham’s gold victory. The post read, “Jodie Grinham takes gold in Nove Mesto ahead of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games 🥇🇬🇧 #ArcheryEurope #ParaArchery.” At five months pregnant, Grinham conquered the UK Para Championships just before the Paris Paralympics. Grinham’s decision to take this risk has a deeply personal reason. In an interview with the NY Times on Aug 26, 2024, she revealed, “We didn’t know if we were even going to be able to conceive another one. This might not ever happen for us.” She added, “Getting pregnant is not as easy as people believe. It’s not that simple.”

Reflecting on her tumultuous journey to motherhood and athletic prowess, Jodie Grinham’s story is one of resilience, heartbreak, and relentless determination. Her first pregnancy with her son, Christian, was fraught with complications—premature labor, declining health, and a baby born with severe jaundice who spent his first ten days in an incubator, away from his mother’s arms. “I didn’t get to hold him during the first ten days,” Grinham shared, her voice tinged with the pain of those early moments. “He was kept under a light in a small box, and it was heartbreaking.”

Before Christian’s arrival, Grinham had already endured unimaginable loss, suffering three miscarriages that left her traumatized. Her path to parenthood was littered with grief and uncertainty, and the trials didn’t end there. Last year, she faced yet another miscarriage, a devastating blow that pushed her to the brink of despair. It was in this dark chapter that she discovered she was pregnant again. But this time, her body seemed to betray her once more. The doctors were unsure if her left side could bear the weight of the baby, fearing it might collapse under the strain. “We’re in the same position this time,” Grinham said, her voice heavy with a mixture of hope and fear. “We don’t know.”

Grinham’s journey stands apart, even as stories of other athletes who competed while pregnant inspire many. Afghanistan archer Yaylagul Ramazanova competed in the Paris Olympics while six months pregnant, and Egyptian fencer Nada Hafez revealed her seven-month pregnancy after her round of 16 loss. But Grinham’s struggle is uniquely her own, as she balances the delicate line between ambition and the unpredictable nature of her pregnancy.

From challenges to Paris: Jodie Grinham stands strong

Jodie Grinham’s path to the Paris Paralympics is not just a story of athletic prowess but one of profound courage and heartbreak. Born with Brachysyndactyly, a condition that left her with a short left arm and partial fingers, Grinham has faced more obstacles than most could ever imagine. “No fingers and half a thumb,” she once told The Athletic, words that echo the physical reality she’s had to overcome in her quest to excel in archery—a sport that demands precision and dexterity. She wasn’t just trying to hit a target; she was redefining what was possible.

Grinham picked up a bow for the first time in 2008, a decision that would set her on a path of both remarkable achievement and relentless adversity. By 2014, she had fought her way onto the Great Britain archery team, making headlines as the first person with her disability to attempt archery at such a high level. Her debut at the 2015 World Para-Archery Championships in Germany was nothing short of remarkable, finishing seventh against the world’s best—a moment that proved her resolve was as unyielding as her aim.

Then came the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio, where Grinham’s journey took a turn that was both exhilarating and excruciating. Competing in the women’s and team compound open events, she battled her way to the quarter-finals in the individual event before narrowly falling to Somayeh Abbaspour of Iran. In the team event, her partnership with John Stubbs brought them to the brink of gold. They faced formidable opponents from China in the final match, and with each arrow, the tension mounted. In a heartbreaking twist, they fell just short, losing 151-143. A silver medal hung around Grinham’s neck, but in her heart, she carried the weight of what could have been.

Now, as she prepares for the Paris Paralympics, Grinham faces perhaps her greatest challenge yet. Seven months pregnant, she is once again pushing the limits of what her body can endure. “With the troubles that we’d had, we didn’t know if we were going to be able to get pregnant again,” she confesses, her words a stark reminder of the fragility of her dreams. Yet, despite the physical toll, she trains with a tenacity that defies her circumstances, determined to fight for gold with her unborn child by her side.

Every training session is a testament to her unyielding spirit. Despite the weight of her growing belly and the ever-present fear of premature labor, she presses on, each arrow released with the hope that she can conquer both the target before her and the unknowns that lie ahead. “I want a medal, of course, and if I get it right, I probably could bring back a medal, but at the same time, this is so much bigger,” she says, her voice a mixture of determination and vulnerability.

As the women’s individual compound event opens on August 29, the world will watch as Jodie Grinham steps onto the archery field, not just as an athlete but as a mother, a warrior, and a beacon of hope. Will her courage and perseverance propel her to Paralympic gold? Or will the weight of her journey prove too much to bear? No matter the outcome, Jodie Grinham’s story is already one of the most inspiring tales of resilience and heart, reminding us all of the power of the human spirit to rise above any challenge.