AN EXPECTANT mother from Haverfordwest who spent two days last weekend in a Paris maternity ward has secured a bronze medal at the Paralympics.

Jodie Grinham is competing in the archery at the Paris 2024 games despite being 28-weeks pregnant with her second child.

The 31-year-old even spent two days last weekend at a Paris maternity ward thinking she may have been going into early labour after her baby stopped moving.

But on Saturday evening, she secured the final podium position in the women’s individual compound event – finishing one point ahead of fellow Brit and defending champion Phoebe Paterson Pine.

Grinham was trailing 113-115 after the fourth end, but scored 29 in the final end – including a 10 on her last arrow – to put the pressure on Paterson Pine.

The defending champion needed a 10 for the win or a nine to go to a one arrow shoot-off, but could only hit an eight, handing Grinham the win 142-141 at the Esplanade des Invalides.

British archer Jodie Grinham celebrates winner her bronze medal.British archer Jodie Grinham celebrates winner her bronze medal. (Image: ParalympicsGB)

“Baby hasn’t stopped kicking,” she said. “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.

“I’m really proud of myself, I’ve had difficulties and it’s not been easy. But as long as I’m healthy and baby’s healthy, I knew I could compete. I knew if I shot as well as I could, baby or not, I could come back as a medal.

“There is no stigma, the stereotype of things is completely irrelevant. If you feel able to do it, go and do it. If you want to start jogging or go to the gym, if your doctor says it’s fine, do it.

“If you’re happy and healthy, the baby is happy and healthy too. If I worked in an office, they’d have me there for another 12 weeks working so what difference does this make?

“I’ve been in and out of hospital this week, it’s been really difficult.

“My partner’s got a baby bag ready in case he’s got to get over to Paris.

“It was really starting to worry me that the baby’s going to move and I’m going to be at full draw and it’s going to affect my shot.

“My coach and I spent a long time doing little pregnancies preps – of her moving me and moving the bump so I could get use to that feeling.

“I would be at full draw and would feel that sensation. You acknowledge it and go ‘I know you’re there, mummy loves you’ and you carry on with your process, so it wasn’t a distraction.”

When asked how she will tell the tale to her child, Grinham said: “It will be like ‘You were on the podium’. The youngest member to be on the podium.”

Grinham will be back in action on Monday in the mixed team compound event – in which she won a silver medal at Rio 2016 – with Nathan MacQueen.

ParalympicsGB claimed five golds on Saturday – taking their total to 11 in the first three days of competition, behind only China in the medal table.

Amongst those was St Clears' Matt Bush in the taekwondo, along with Amy Truesdale (taekwondo), Alice Tai, Stephen Clegg and William Ellard (all swimming).