Rower who trained every day of pregnancy qualifies for Olympics with son watching on

Team GB rower Mathilda Hodgkins-Byrne believes her surge from motherhood to the Olympics shows that the sport is changing, writes Sportsbeat's Tom Harle.

The Tokyo Olympian trained throughout pregnancy, doing an hour of low-level cardio every day - even when heavily overdue at 40 weeks and six days - giving birth to son Freddie in 2022.

Hodgkins-Byrne fought her way back onto the British Rowing Team and then into a boat, the women’s double alongside Rebecca Wilde.

With Freddie watching on from the bank in Lucerne, Switzerland, the British double finished second at the last chance ‘Regatta of Death’ to claim the 13th and final place at Paris 2024.

“When I became pregnant, it changed my outlook on things,” said Hodgkins-Byrne. “For me, I don't think having a baby should be the end of your career.

"My identity is obviously being a mum, but it’s also an athlete. I’m definitely a better mum for rowing and I'm a much better athlete because of Freddie.

“If anyone out there is considering whether it's possible or not - it's hard. Your recovery is terrible at times, but you never get stuck in the stress bubble.”

Hodgkins-Byrne made her Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020 in 2021, competing in the quad alongside youngster sister Charlotte. She now stands proudly alongside mum-of-three Helen Glover as the first British rowers to successfully return to Olympic level after giving birth.

With British Rowing soon to publish a maternity policy that promises to codify change, the 29-year-old believes the tide has turned in a sport that used to stigmatise starting a family.

“The sport has changed hugely,” said Hodgkins-Byrne. “I’m proud to be part of a team that makes it possible.

"Helen and I have both shown it is - we’ve had different journeys, her children are quite a bit older - but Freddie has come on all three training camps with me. He’s been staying in the hotel with me and there’s some flexibility now with childcare.

“It’s a huge step. If this keeps more girls in rowing and encourages more people to stay in the sport as possible, that’s literally all I wanted from this journey.”

The Last Chance Regatta is staged on the Rotsee in Lucerne, known as the ‘lake of the gods.’ It is a unique pressure-cooker event where rowers must finish in the top two in their boat class to make the Games.

Athletes can miss out on their dreams of becoming an Olympian by a matter of metres and GB men’s single sculls George Bourne finished fourth, just outside the Paris places.

“It’s a really weird regatta,” said Hodgkins-Byrne. “This is your last chance, there’s no other option. You know everything’s on the line but you don’t want to put everything on the line because that won’t bring out your best performance.

"My only thought was, ‘don’t mess this up!’”

Hodgkins-Byrne paid tribute to rowing partner Wilde’s ability and flexibility after navigating her own journey from fighting to keep her funding to the pinnacle of the sport.

“We went into a double and it clicked,” said Hodgkins-Byrne. “She’s less experienced than me but she’s far stronger than me. It’s great and I really enjoy being part of this boat.

“Had we not qualified, I’d have been gutted about the Games but I’d have been more sad not to have been back in this boat because I do really enjoy going out in it on a daily basis.”

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