Pregnant para-archer Jodie Grinham clinched a dramatic bronze medal in the women’s individual compound event at the Paris Paralympics, outshooting her teammate and defending champion Phoebe Paterson Pine in a nail-biting finish.
This victory marks Grinham’s first individual Paralympic medal, a significant milestone following her mixed team silver at the 2016 Rio Games.
The competition was intense as Grinham, hailing from Haverfordwest and seven months pregnant, entered the fifth and final end trailing by two points.
Demonstrating remarkable composure and precision, she scored a near-perfect 29 points, surpassing Paterson Pine’s 26. This crucial round concluded with Grinham on top, edging out her competitor with a final score of 142-141.
“I’m really proud of myself, I’ve had difficulties and it’s not been easy,” Grinham told BBC.
“But as long as I’m healthy and baby’s healthy, I knew we could compete. I knew if I shot as well as I could I could come back with a medal.”
Grinham’s performance was not only a display of athletic prowess but also of extraordinary resilience and determination under pressure.
Her pregnancy added a unique dimension to her participation, as she acknowledged the lively movements of her unborn child during the event.
“Baby hasn’t stopped kicking, it’s almost like baby’s going ‘what’s going on, it’s really loud, mummy what are you doing?’ But it has been a lovely reminder of the support bubble I have in my belly,” she shared.
Looking ahead, Grinham is not done yet. She will return to the field on Monday, teaming up with Nathan MacQueen for the mixed-team compound event.
