I gained a profound understanding of the transformations in the lives of Olympic mothers during a joint interview with Denise Lewis a few months back. Denise, an exceptional athlete, clinched gold in the heptathlon at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, a time when British athletes were not expected to excel. However, 24 years later, she shared the horrific treatment she faced as a mother.
Describing her experience as “a very lonely journey,” Denise recounted that following the birth of her daughter, Lauryn, in 2002, her coaches and support staff would only communicate with her once she was back on “the performance pathway.” She felt isolated, akin to “a performing animal devoid of heart and soul.”
I felt a deep sadness for Denise, even though she emphasized how much attitudes toward motherhood in elite sports have evolved. It’s disheartening to realize such treatment occurred in the 21st century.
Last Sunday, memories of our interview resurfaced while watching Amber Rutter secure silver in the women’s skeet, just three months after becoming a mother. Amber was my teammate at the 2016 Rio Olympics when she was only 18. It’s remarkable to realize that she welcomed her son this past April. In Paris, she faced a controversial shoot-off against Francisca Crovetto Chadid of Chile after they both finished with identical scores.
Amber was confident, and the television replays confirmed this, that she struck the final target, but the judges disagreed. I was amazed at how she maintained her composure, showcasing immense class in her acceptance of the result. She was warmly welcomed by her husband, James, who surprised her by bringing their little one, Tommy, along. Those photos will forever remind Amber of her incredible accomplishment.
Honestly, three months after giving birth, I could hardly walk. Whenever I hear Amber Rutter’s name, I’m reminded: “What an exceptional mother, what an incredible woman.”
The Team GB squad includes nine mothers, and in addition to Amber, we have celebrated gold medals from Katy Marchant and Ros Canter, along with a silver from Helen Glover and a bronze from Mathilda Hodgkins-Byrne.
The normalization of mothers achieving success at such high levels of sport sharply contrasts with even a decade ago. I recall my reaction in early 2014 when I heard Jess Ennis-Hill was pregnant but still aimed to defend her Olympic heptathlon title in 2016. Jason and I exchanged glances and both thought: “She’s crazy. You can’t balance motherhood with aiming for Olympic gold.” We assumed her career was over.
Thirteen months after Jess welcomed her son, Reggie, she won the heptathlon at the world championships in Beijing. I was even more impressed by her silver medal performance at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Until then, I had always believed it was one or the other – either you were an active Olympian or a mother. Jess helped me see that being both was indeed possible.
Esme Matthews (then Taylor), my physiologist at British Cycling, who is close friends with Jess, connected us in 2017. Our initial phone call lasted an hour and a half, and when I visited Jess for breakfast, she addressed all my concerns and uncertainties.
I asked her very basic questions, like, “How do I manage it all?” Jess was very clear about the importance of scheduling everything. After giving birth, I relied on her exercises during my critical recovery phase. Now that I’m retired from competition, Jess remains my go-to resource for advice on raising two children while navigating life outside the rigorous world of Olympic sports.
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Jess was also present during that interview with Denise, and I felt privileged to be in the company of such greats. Compared to the hardships Denise faced, my experience was relatively easy. Nowadays, British Cycling and UK Sport have supportive and flexible pregnancy policies. There’s no immediate pressure to return after giving birth; athletes can take up to eight months away before they even begin to consider getting back on the bike, simply to assess their desire to compete again. I found this approach to be incredibly positive and supportive, allowing me to compete in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics after welcoming my eldest son, Albie, in 2017.
Parenting remains a complex and challenging journey. I have heard troubling stories from two fathers in different sports about children being unwelcome at their training camps. Balancing motherhood and a successful Olympic career was far more mentally and emotionally exhausting for me than the physical aspects of training.
I felt a significant amount of mum guilt when I went to Tokyo, knowing that our families could not join us due to the pandemic. Leaving Albie for two-and-a-half weeks while Jason and I pursued another gold medal was tough.
While I knew Albie was safe with his grandparents, the reality of being an Olympic parent can feel harsh. It ultimately influenced my decision not to continue competing towards the Paris Games after our second son was born last year. Following a miscarriage and an ectopic pregnancy, we were overjoyed to welcome little Monty into our lives.
The joyful images of the Rutter family encapsulated the essence of it all. While Amber narrowly missed Olympic gold, it was evident that having her baby boy with her in those beautiful photographs mattered far more.
It serves as a reminder of how much we current sporting mothers in Britain owe to modern pioneers like the incredible Denise Lewis and Jess Ennis-Hill.
