Triathlete Jocelyn McCauley has issued an impassioned plea for everyone involved with the sport to accept that women should never have to ‘choose between being an athlete and having children’.
The American mother of two revealed at the weekend how she had competed at IRONMAN New Zealand, knowing that she was pregnant with her third child but didn’t want to announce anything due to the stigma that still surrounds the subject.
In a post on her Instagram page, she marked International Women’s Day by explaining that many women still feel that, as professional athletes, it is ‘risky’ to say they are expecting a baby due to the question marks which nearly always hang over them regarding their futures.
Announcing pregnancy should not feel risky
Pointing to the likes of Holly Lawrence, Jess Learmonth, Chelsea Sodaro and Jackie Hering as women who have had children and continued to have strong triathlon careers, she hopes that sponsors, businesses, event organisers and fans can see that motherhood does not mean the end of sporting careers.
“Pregnancy should never feel risky to announce as a professional athlete,” she wrote. “But for a long time, it has been and still is, and that’s one reason I didn’t announce it till after IMNZ. So on International Women’s Day, I want to say a real THANK YOU to my sponsors who have maternity clauses and are genuinely happy for me and my family.
“That shouldn’t be rare, but in sport, it still kind of is. For many female athletes, sharing pregnancy news comes with a question in the back of your mind: ‘What will this mean for my career?’ or ‘What will others think this will mean?’.
“I’m incredibly grateful to be supported by companies who believe women shouldn’t have to choose between being an athlete and having children.
“This pregnancy hasn’t been the easiest (only 2 🤢 days this week, though, so we’re trending the right direction 😅), but I’ve still been able to train and even race. I planned to race faster than I did, but after the flat (tyre) it made sense to take it down a notch. Nothing left to race for at that point 🤷🏼♀️.
‘Many come back stronger and with more purpose’
“The bigger point though, is women have shown again and again that pregnancy isn’t the end of performance – @nicolaspirigofficial, @hollylawrencetri, @mirindacarfrae, @jesslearmonth, @chelseasodaro, and @jackiemhering (and too many more). Many come back stronger and with even more purpose.
“I’m proud to represent companies that believe in that. And I hope the standard keeps rising because the next generation of women in sport should never have to wonder if they’ll be supported in one of the most important chapters of their lives.
“We can be athletes. We can be mothers. And we can come back even stronger. Happy International Women’s Day 💛.”
The ‘irreparable flat’ she was referring to completely wrecked her hopes of a decent finishing time in Taupō, revealing in an earlier Instagram post how she instead spent a fair bit of time ‘having a picnic, stretch and nap on the side of the road’ before then eating ‘chips, bars, bananas and lollies’ while ‘tanning’ as she made her way around.
For the record, she finished in 17th with a time of 11:13:58, a full two hours and 45 minutes behind the winner, Kat Matthews, not that McCauley was truly bothered, as she enjoyed her day in the New Zealand sunshine.
Lots of firsts in a memorable IMNZ
Indeed, she added: “Lots of firsts yesterday: First time in double-digit finishing time; First time with a race flat since being tubeless; First time where my bike and run times were about the same (minus the time on the side of the road); First time eating chips and candy on course 😋; First time coming in last in an IM event; First time racing an IM pregnant 🤰.
“Not exactly the race I planned… but definitely one I won’t forget.”
Among the host of likes and comments added to her call for understanding was one from Holly Lawrence, who simply said: “Congrats! I love our sports mom club!”
Indeed, it is a ‘sports mom club’ that everyone within the sport should be incredibly proud of.
