Pregnant Archer Grinham Wins Gold at Paralympic Games
Seven-months pregnant Para-archer Jodie Grinham and her partner Nathan Macqueen won a gold medal for Great Britain by defeating Iran 155-151 in the mixed team compound final.
This marks Grinham’s second medal in Paris. Earlier, she had won a bronze medal in the women’s individual compound event on Saturday. The British team took an early lead, finishing the first round 39-38, but the scores were tied at 77-77 by the halfway point. However, two 8-point shots by Iranian archer Hadi Nori gave Britain a 115-113 advantage going into the final round. The British team secured the gold with a flawless score of 40 in the last round.
“I just wanted to jump, cry, and scream at the end,” said 31-year-old Grinham. However, she controlled her emotions due to her pregnancy, took a moment to pause, and then celebrated with her teammate. “It felt like being a child at Christmas and getting your favorite toy,” she added.
Since being selected for Paris, Grinham aimed to send a powerful message to women. Her participation in the Games garnered global attention. However, the journey wasn’t without challenges; she had to visit a hospital in Paris for a check-up after a scare last week. After receiving clearance from doctors, she was allowed to compete.
Grinham and her Scottish partner Macqueen earned a direct spot in the quarterfinals by finishing second behind India in Thursday’s qualifying round. They defeated Australia 150-141 in the quarterfinals and then beat Italy 156-149 in the semifinals to reach the final.
“Our goal was to show that nothing is impossible. I have an amazing partner, and together we achieved something great. This medal symbolizes the success we worked so hard for,” Grinham said.