Jodie Grinham makes history by winning a Paralympic archery bronze while pregnant

 

As the sun set behind the Eiffel Tower, Jodie Grinham made history by becoming what is believed to be the first openly pregnant woman to win a Paralympic medal. She secured the bronze in a dramatic shoot-off against her close friend and fellow Briton, Phoebe Paterson Pine.

The individual compound open match was electrifying, with Paterson Pine, who had claimed gold in Tokyo, holding a narrow lead going into the final end. She needed a 10 with her last arrow to win, or a nine to force a shoot-off. However, nerves took hold, and she scored an eight, eliciting gasps from the crowd.

Grinham, stunned by the outcome, bent over in disbelief before sharing an emotional hug with Paterson Pine. The two have been friends since their teenage years, having trained together since 2014.

“I knew I needed a 10 to put any pressure on her,” Grinham remarked. “Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t, and it’s tough when it’s against a teammate, but we both understand that’s just the nature of sport.”

Grinham, known for her tall stature, striking pink fringe, and blue-tipped hair, has an uncanny ability to hit the center of a target. However, being seven months pregnant required her to make several adjustments. She wore a low-slung quiver around her middle, which altered how she lifted and held the bow, and opted for flat shoes to maintain stability in a sport where concentration is paramount.

 

Adding to the challenge, Grinham had to contend with the frequent kicks from her increasingly active baby. “The baby hasn’t stopped moving, as if saying, ‘What are you doing?’ It’s been such an honor to know that the baby is there, providing that little support bubble inside me,” she shared.

She confessed to being worried that the baby might move at a critical moment, potentially disrupting her shot. “My coach and I spent a lot of time preparing for this, doing little pregnancy drills with her adjusting my position to accommodate the bump so I could get used to the feeling. Even during today’s matches, when I was at full draw, I acknowledged it, thinking, ‘Mummy loves you, I’ll cuddle you in a minute,’ before focusing back on my process. Afterward, I’d give him a little stroke and reassure him, ‘It’s all fine, I know it’s a lot of noise, a lot of heartbeat.'”

At seven months pregnant, Grinham found herself at the same stage she was in when she went into premature labor with her first child, Christian, who is now two. Nevertheless, she was determined to demonstrate that it is possible to compete at an elite level even in the late stages of pregnancy. She took precautions, such as ensuring that Les Invalides was within eight minutes of the nearest hospital, and spent the last week in and out of medical checks—but it was all worth it to push the boundaries.

“There is no stigma,” Grinham stated. “The stereotypes are completely irrelevant. If you feel you can do it, then it doesn’t matter. If the doctor says it’s fine, then go and do it.”

Archery has been part of the Paralympics since the inaugural games in Rome in 1960, but it has rarely had a more picturesque setting than the Esplanades des Invalides. With the Eiffel Tower’s grey silhouette rising on one side of the arena, the gilded dome of the Hôtel des Invalides on another, neatly trimmed trees lining the garden, and the gleaming bronze-winged horses of Pont Alexandre III overlooking from the north, the scene was nothing short of breathtaking.

The enthusiastic crowd experienced early disappointments when two favorites were knocked out. India’s 17-year-old Sheetal Devi, the armless archer who uses her foot to hold the bow and pulls the string with her teeth—amassing over 312,000 Instagram followers in the process—was eliminated in the early rounds. Julie Rigault Chupin of France also exited at the quarter-final stage, despite the crowd’s loud cheers of “Faites du Bruit!” After a consoling back rub from her coach, she was given a heartfelt ovation as she left the stadium.