Olympic Shotgun champion Amber Rutter and her husband James recently welcomed their first child, a baby boy named Tommy Rutter. Despite becoming a new mother, Amber still plans to compete at the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris. She first announced her pregnancy in October through an Instagram post showing an ultrasound image of their baby. Although there have been concerns about juggling motherhood and competing, the French Olympic Committee has promised facilities for mothers traveling with their children to the Games.
Amber had to pull out of the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 after testing positive for Coronavirus. She was devastated as she had been preparing for the Olympics since she was young and considered it a dream come true. Despite this setback, Amber remains determined to compete at the highest level, and she is optimistic about her chances in the upcoming Games. She has a successful career as a shooter, winning medals in various international competitions, including the ISSF World Cup series and the European Games.
Amber shared her excitement about starting a family with her husband James and expressed that they did not want to delay having children. She admits that she was initially shocked when she found out she was pregnant, especially because she had been diligently preparing for the Olympics. As she transitions into motherhood, Amber acknowledges that the biggest challenge will be adjusting to her new role as a mother. She is looking forward to balancing her personal life with her athletic career and is hopeful that she can continue to achieve success in the sport.
The athlete also discussed her struggle with work-life balance and the realization that she needed to prioritize herself and her dreams outside of her sport. Although she acknowledges that winning another gold medal is not everything to her, she remains focused on achieving her goals and is determined to continue competing. Amber defied expectations by deciding to have a child while still planning to compete in the Olympics, emphasizing that she is more than just an athlete and is excited to take on the new role of being a mother.
Amber reflected on the emotional journey of finding out she was pregnant and how it abruptly ended her Olympic dream at that time. She describes the shock and disbelief she felt upon seeing the positive pregnancy test and the difficult decision to withdraw from the Tokyo Olympics. Despite the initial disappointment, Amber has remained resilient and is now gearing up to compete at the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris. She credits her support system, including her coach and sports psychologist, for helping her navigate the challenges and uncertainties of being a professional athlete and a new mother.
