History-Maker Jodie Grinham Progresses to the Semi-Final of the Women’s Open Archery Competition
Shooting perfect 10s at 28weeks pregnant
It’s swung between sunny blue skies and torrential rain at Invalides this Saturday, 31st August, where the 2024 Paris Paralympics Archery events are underway.
Not to be daunted by a little weather, Brit Jodie Grinham has sailed smoothly into the semi-final stage of the Women’s Individual Open competition.
Having picked up a silver in Rio, Grinham is hoping to go for gold in Paris and she’s not doing it alone.
Jodie, 31, has been making headlines as the first British athlete in history to compete at a Paralympic games whilst pregnant. Currently at 28 weeks, she’s worked with her coach throughout her pregnancy to specialise her training.
“Me and my coach, we’ve done loads of different pregnancy things like her moving my belly whilst I’m at full draw just to work out how I would stabilise myself. So we are prepped.”
It paid off in the top-8 elimination round: “We got to the third end and baby’s kicking, I was like ‘Not now, not now.’ But it was fine, we managed it. We’ve practised the worst-case scenarios and it was needed today.”
Jodie’s battle of the bow for a spot in the finals was against Poland’s Kseniya Markitantova. The athletes were level at 112 going into the final end, but Jodie shot a perfect round of three 10s to beat her opponent by one point.
“I found my flow, I found my shot. I knew I needed a thirty and I delivered. The last end I was like ‘right I know I can do it’ and I did, so very happy with myself.”
Grinham displayed similar confidence in her Quarter Final match against Jane Karla Gogel of Brazil, even blowing a kiss to the crowd as she walked out.
After the fourth end (5 make a match, with three arrows in each) Jodie was leading by a single point. Gogel shot a round of 10, 10, 9 but Grinham shot a perfect end of three tens to qualify for the Semi-Final by a lead of two points.
Coming into the finals she said “I want to be in that top three. I want gold, that’s why I’m here. But at the end of the day, there are some fierce competitors out there. I know I’ve got it in me if I can deliver it. If I don’t, I’ll shake hands with the people that do.”
During her last preparations on English soil, Jodie said “I'm hoping to go out there, do my best, bring some medals back. But if that doesn't work out, I'm going to get life's greatest gift and have a baby at the end of it.”
Teammate at defending champion from Tokyo Phoebe Paterson-Pine is also looking to secure a spot in the semi-finals of this event. The medal-winners will be decided this evening.