7 Months Pregnant and Unstoppable: Jodie Grinham’s Incredible Paralympic Bronze Win
British archer Jodie Grinham made headlines when she won a bronze medal in the 2024 Paralympics in the women’s individual compound open event, all while being seven months pregnant.
At 31 years old, Grinham faced off against fellow Brit Phoebe Paterson Pine and won the match by a narrow margin, scoring 142-141.
“I’m really proud of myself,” Grinham shared on Saturday. “It’s been a tough journey with many challenges. But as long as I was healthy and my baby was healthy, I knew I could compete.” She added, “I knew if I gave it my best, whether I was pregnant or not, I could win a medal.”
Grinham also shared a light-hearted moment about her experience: “The baby hasn’t stopped kicking! It’s almost like the baby is wondering what’s happening with all the noise, asking, ‘Mummy, what are you doing?’ But it’s been a lovely reminder that I have a little supporter with me.”
It’s @jodie_grinham who takes compound open BRONZE in the Para archery!
Wonderful. #ParalympicsGB🥉 pic.twitter.com/vWivjzmVQQ
— ParalympicsGB (@ParalympicsGB) August 31, 2024
This bronze medal marks Grinham’s return to the podium, the first time since she won a silver medal with John Stubbs in the 2016 Paralympics. That event was in the mixed team compound category, designed for athletes with “lower levels of impairment in the upper or lower limbs,” according to the British Paralympic Association.
Grinham has faced her own physical challenges. She was born with a condition called brachysyndactyly, which means she has “no fingers and half a thumb” on her left hand. This condition also affects the length of her arms and the development of her shoulder, side, and left core, all the way down to her hip.
Her personal journey hasn’t been easy either. Grinham and her partner, Christopher, have endured the heartbreak of three miscarriages in the past.
As of now, World Archery ranks Grinham as the No. 10 archer in the world for the compound women’s open category.
In a humorous moment earlier this month, Grinham joked with her team that her waters might break on the podium, saying, “That would be quite something.”
Interestingly, at the Paris Olympics just last month, Egyptian fencer Nada Hafez also competed while seven months pregnant, adding to the list of incredible women who balance the demands of elite sports with pregnancy.
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