As the sun set behind the Eiffel Tower, Jodie Grinham made history by becoming the first openly pregnant woman to win a Paralympic medal. She clinched the bronze in a shoot-off against her close friend and fellow Briton, Phoebe Paterson Pine.

In a gripping individual compound open match, Paterson Pine, who won gold in Tokyo, initially led but faltered in the final end. Needing a perfect 10 to secure the win or a 9 to enter a shoot-off, she shot an 8, succumbing to the pressure of the moment.

In the aftermath, Grinham, visibly shocked, embraced Paterson Pine—a friend since their teenage years and training partners since 2014. “I knew I needed a 10 to put any pressure on her,” Grinham said. “Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t, and it’s tough when it’s against a teammate, but that’s the nature of sport.”

Grinham, known for her tall stature and striking pink fringe with blue-tipped hair, showcased an impressive aim despite being seven months pregnant. She adapted her technique with a specially adjusted quiver and flat shoes to accommodate her growing belly and ensure stability.

Adding to the challenge, Grinham has had to contend with the frequent kicks of her increasingly active baby. “The baby hasn’t stopped moving, almost as if to say, ‘What are you doing?’ It’s been such an honor to feel that little support bubble inside me,” she shared.

She admitted to worrying that the baby’s movements might affect her shot while she was fully drawn. “My coach and I spent a lot of time preparing for this, adjusting my stance to accommodate the bump so I could get used to the sensation. Even during matches, I’d acknowledge the baby at full draw, saying, ‘Mummy loves you, I’ll cuddle you in a minute,’ then focus on my process. Afterward, I’d give him a gentle stroke and reassure him that everything was fine despite the noise and the heartbeat.”

Now seven months pregnant, Grinham is at the same stage where she went into premature labor with her two-year-old son, Christian. Determined to prove that elite competition and late-stage pregnancy can coexist, she took careful precautions, ensuring Les Invalides was within eight minutes of the nearest hospital and spending the last week undergoing hospital checks. Her efforts paid off, breaking new ground.

“There’s no stigma,” she said. “The stereotypes are irrelevant. If you feel you can do it and your doctor agrees, then go for it.”



Archery has been a fixture of the Paralympics since the inaugural Games in Rome in 1960. However, few settings could rival the picturesque Esplanades des Invalides, where the grey silhouette of the Eiffel Tower looms on one side of the arena, the gilded dome of the Hôtel des Invalides glistens on another, topiaried trees stand in regimented rows, and the gleaming bronze winged horses of Pont Alexandre III watch from the north.

To the dismay of the enthusiastic crowd, two favorites were eliminated early. Sheetal Devi, a 17-year-old archer from India who uses her foot to lift and hold the bow and her teeth to pull the string, fell in the elimination round. With 312,000 Instagram followers, her departure was a significant letdown. Meanwhile, French archer Julie Rigault Chupin was ousted in the quarter-finals despite the crowd's energetic encouragement to “Faites du Bruit!” After a comforting back rub from her coach, she was cheered out of the stadium.