Breaking society's taboos is never easy, especially when returning to work after a pregnancy. A woman has several challenges during prenatal, and returning to her pre-pregnancy state is sometimes tough. However, several female athletes have amazed the world by making a powerful comeback and winning everyone's hearts. This article honors five female athletes who have made a strong return after becoming moms in celebration of 2022's Happy Mother's Day.
Five Amazing Post-Pregnancy Returns by Female Athletes
A notable number of female athletes from around the world have returned to competition after becoming moms. This article features five of the most well-known female athletes among them.
Kim Clijsters (Tennis, Belgium)
Kim Clijsters was a professional tennis player from Belgium. She rose to the no. 1 position in the WTA rankings (both in singles and doubles) in the mid-2000s. This talented Belgian won six grand slams, including four singles. Clijsters had her pick when her daughter Jada Lynch was born in 2008. Everyone in the tennis fraternity thought Clijsters' tennis career would soon be over.
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However, she stunned everyone by making a commanding comeback on the court and winning the 2009 and 2010 US Open, followed by the 2011 Australian Open. After her astounding performances, the media dubbed her comeback as "The Mother of All Comebacks"
Sania Mirza (Tennis, India)
Indian tennis sensation Sania Mirza has been a pro player since 2003. She has represented her country in the leading tennis tournaments in the world. Sania has won three grand slams in doubles (Australian Open in 2016, US Open in 2015 and Wimbledon in 2015).
Sania got married to Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Malik in April 2010 and the couple welcomed their son, Izhaan Mirza Malik, in October 2018. Following her son’s birth, Sania made a strong comeback on the court and won the women’s doubles title at the Hobart International in 2020.
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Serena Williams (Tennis, USA)
One of the greatest tennis players of all-time, Serena Williams has won the most grand slam titles (23) in the open era and the second-most of all time. This legendary American tennis player got married to Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian in November 2017, two months after giving birth to their daughter Olympia.
Serena Williams suffered a pulmonary embolism after giving birth, which delayed her return to the court. However, nothing stopped her from making a strong return to the tennis court. Serena has reached the Wimbledon finals in 2018 and 2019, as well as the US Open finals in 2018 and 2019. However, she lost all of the finals.
Mary Kom (Boxer, India)
Mary Kom is a legendary Indian female boxer who, by her hard work, devotion, and tenacity, has inspired millions of women across the country. Mary Kom has won a number of prestigious titles and brought glory to her nation. She has five world titles and won an Olympic bronze medal in the London 2012 Games. Mary Kom married footballer Karung Onkholer in 2005.
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In 2007, she gave birth to twins, and in 2013, she welcomed another son. Kom made tremendous comebacks in both after her deliveries. Her determination is an example to all women around the world.
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (Field Sprinter, Jamaica)
Jamaican track and field sprinter, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is regarded as one of the best sprinters of all time. She has three Olympic gold medals and nine World Championship gold medals to her credit. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce married her longtime lover, Jason Pryce in 2011.
They welcomed their son Zyon into the world on August 7, 2017. She made a tremendous comeback to track and field after her delivery, winning several gold medals. She was named to the BBC's list of the world's 100 most inspirational and influential women in 2019.
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Aftermath
Women had to overcome several barriers in order to freely participate in any sport even a few decades ago. However, the situation has much improved in recent years. Women are now competing in a variety of sports alongside males. Not only that, but they may also make big decisions like becoming a mother when still in their prime. One of the reasons for this is that women have gained confidence in their ability to return. Unconditional respect to these brave women on the occasion of 2022 Happy Mother's Day.
In this article, we have discussed about five sports women who made successful return after pregnancy and motherhood. We hope these great athletes will encourage many young female athletes around the world to continue their jouney in sports while rearing family.