Paris 2024 Olympics was proof that mothers really can do it all...

The training routine of an Olympian feels predictable. Waking up before the sun to train for hours, aiming to get that perfect time, fastest run or cleanest trick. You think of a strict schedule, a strict diet, a strict routine.

Now add into that; eight feeds, twelve nappy changes, an hour of bath-time and at least three middle of the night wake ups, and your day seems impossible.

For so long, being a mother was ‘or’ to being an athlete. The time taken away from training and the commitments of motherhood were seen as incompatible with sports. But during this year’s Olympics we have seen a major shift to this narrative. A career path that seemed so impossible for mums has been made that much easier.

The Olympic village featured a nursery for the first time, allowing parents to spend time with their children and offer a private space for people to breastfeed.

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IOC AC Chair Emma Terho was an Olympian herself and knows how it feels to compete as a parent, having a young child at the time of her 2014 Winter Olympics. Talking to Olympics.com, Terho insisted,

“Pregnancy and motherhood are a natural path in life, and it doesn’t have to mean a career end for female athletes.”

The introduction of this space means that mothers must no longer choose between the normal experience of an Olympian or the guilt and stress of being away from their child.

Beyond physical infrastructure, there also seems to have been a building shift in attitude toward the welcoming of athlete mothers. In a conversation with Team GB, athletes and team doctors discussed the ’support network’ that has been created for mums via a WhatsApp group.

These changes to both the design of the Olympic building structures, as well as the team dynamics, highlight a move toward further inclusivity for working mothers.

And this hard work has proved to pay off. Mothers across all disciplines have adorned medal podiums. Early in the games, Brooke Francis and Lucy Spoors, representing New Zealand, won gold in the double sculls final. Both women were among many mothers able to celebrate victories with their children.

For Team GB, out of the nine mothers who travelled to Paris for the games, six are now coming home with medals.

One of these women was Amber Rutter, who achieved silver in skeet shooting. Speaking to Glamour about her process of training, she explained how she continued to train until around 30 weeks pregnant.

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Once her son Tommy was born, she commends the sense of community support given by Team GB. Amber summarised to Glamour,

“Being a mum can be tough – especially while training for the Olympics. It's not for the fainthearted, but knowing that there are other women out there that have done the exact same thing and been really, really successful is so inspiring.”

The Olympics really is the biggest international stage, and having powerful women perform and succeed whilst also juggling motherhood is inspiring to anyone.

All this success proves that when women are given the chance, repeatedly, they prove themselves. When organisations, companies and businesses put in the effort to support working mums, it pays off.

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