Every mum knows the challenge of the juggle. We speak to three women who are set to compete in the Paris Olympics 2024 about returning to work as elite athletes after kids, as well as their expert tips on prioritising your own health and goals amid family life.
Keesja Gofers, water polo player
Photo: Elie Azzi, Social Media Studios
What was your journey back into elite-level form after having your daughter T and what motivated your return?
I have had amazing support in my journey back to elite-level form. My coaches… have worked closely with medical support staff, including my women’s health physio. Water Polo Australia has also done everything they can to support my return. But without a doubt, I could not have done this with the unrelenting support of my husband and my mum.
My daughter is my motivation. Recently, I brought [my daughter] Teleri to the AIS for a national team camp and having my daughter see and be around the inspiring, strong female athletes day in and day out, cemented that it has been the right decision. Women should have the choice to go after their goals. I am lucky enough to have the support to do that.
Did you encounter any unique challenges returning to competition?
In a lot of ways, being an athlete and a mum doesn’t work together. As an athlete, you prioritise your recovery, your sleep, and your nutrition – you prioritise yourself. When you bring a little person into the mix, what you want goes out the window! You’re on their schedule now.
I can remember days when T didn’t want to sleep during the day (we’d get 45 minutes total and it was in a moving pram), and all I wanted was to take a nap too. Water polo training, as an amateur sport, happens around work hours. So, before I rejoined the national team I was doing 5am starts and training that finished at 9pm. When I got extremely tired, I had to ask for more help. In retrospect, I tried to “do it all” for much too long.
How has your experience as a mum influenced your approach to training and competition?
[My daughter] is my engine to be better every day as an athlete and as a mum. Watching T learn skills in front of my eyes has been one of the most delightful things I have experienced. The best part is how determined she is.
When she was learning to walk, she fell down again and again. That’s what I think of when I make a mistake in the pool - and like Michael Jordan said, “I have failed again and again and that is why I succeed”. Babies embody this, they don’t stop till they get it!
Can you share any specific strategies you have for time-poor parents to adopt healthier habits?
Plan ahead: People, especially parents, have to make so many decisions every day, it can be exhausting. I plan ahead as much as I can, whether it is packing my training bag the night before or writing out my schedule for the week and getting some meals ready in advance. It has helped me stay on top of the decisions I was making around food, because I wasn’t making them with limited options (like at a food court) or already hungry and tired.
Make fitness a habit: After T was born when I was starting to get back into general exercise, like mums and bubs Pilates, it can be so much easier to just not go. But it got easier and easier to get out the door. Of course, there were some hiccups along the way!
Have active catch-ups: Fitness can be social. You can go to interact and engage with other people, strangers or friends. Outside of Water Polo, I like to organising catch up with friends where we do Pilates or go for a walk or some form of exercise and then get a coffee.
Be kind to yourself: You’re going to make mistakes for whatever reason - skip a session, make poor food choices. When I was younger, for me this meant the whole day, maybe the whole week, was a “rid off”. But it’s really not. It’s being human. Give yourself a break and try again next time.
Genevieve Gregson, marathon runner
What was your journey back into elite-level form and what motivated your return?
This was a long road but a seamless one. Although becoming a mum had its challenges, it was also such an exciting journey for me. Everything was so new, so I was able to take the pressure and expectation away from my performances and let my body take the time it needed to return.
I used my training as a way to energise myself when I had a rough night from not much sleep. Running for me is a happy place so rather than feeling like it was an extra load on top of being a new mum, it was another fun challenge to watch my body progress and regain strength and endurance over time.
Did you encounter any unique challenges as a mum returning to competition?
The scariest part of the whole return was worrying that I may never get back. Although I say I enjoy a challenge, it is obviously normal to have a lot of doubt creep in at times, especially when you are functioning on less sleep and navigating parenthood for the first time.
I worried my sponsors would walk away, or that I wouldn’t be able to compete for a living if I didn’t get back to where I left off. I had to learn to trust that I would get there, but I needed to get there my own way and be flexible with how that journey could look. I listened to my body and made hard decisions to pull back when I knew it was necessary.
Can you share any specific strategies for time poor parents to adopt healthier habits?
Meal prep is a must. I cannot think on the spot when it comes to meals and I get too tired and lazy to prepare something when my body needs a big nutritious meal at the end of the day. On a weekend I think of food I really need for everyday meals and snacks, and pre-plan dinners ahead of time.
With regards to fitness, try to have a schedule with your exercise that can be from the door. Mothers are usually time poor with a million other priorities, so being able to step out the door and get a quick and efficient run or walk in definitely gives you the best bang for your buck.
Alyce Wood, kayaker
What was your journey back into elite-level form?
When I finished at the Tokyo Olympics there was a feeling inside of me knowing that if I retired then, I would regret it. I knew I wasn’t done. Since then, the dream to go to my third Olympic Games with [my daughter] Florence cheering me on has been my main point of motivation.
Did you encounter any unique challenges as a mum returning to competition?
Balancing the expectations of a being a new mum and an athlete has been challenging. On one hand, there are so many social pressures on new mums to feed, change, bathe, nurse and be incredibly present in every moment of their baby’s life. Then on the other hand, I am on a strict timeline in the lead up to Paris, which requires me to be selfish at times and lean heavily on my support network.
The guilt pulling me both ways has been real, but it’s also taught me how to prioritise my time and energy.
Can you share any strategies you used to manage stress or maintain resilience during this demanding time?
My whole support team and I agree that being a mum has made me a better athlete and being an athlete has made me a better mum. We’ve created a routine that allows me to best spread my time, while also understanding that babies are experts in throwing the best-made plans out the window.
Operating under the premise that there are many pathways to success, we’ve become experts at redesigning a training week, and repositioning Florence-sitting duties, whilst keeping the overarching performance goal in the forefront.
What advice can you give to mums when it comes to the competing priorities between career and family?
Everyone’s journey is so unique, so don’t try and model yourself off someone else’s priorities and expectations. My best advice is to give yourself permission to have a laundry full of dirty clothes, or a child wearing odd socks to daycare. Be flexible, laugh at yourself sometimes and enjoy the little moments.
Interviews courtesy of Bellamy's Organic, a proud partner of the Australian Olympic Committee for Paris 2024.
Newsletter
