Pregnant GB shooter Mwandumba’s twin aims

Success in shooting requires steady hands, steely focus and the ability to block out all external distractions – but what about internal ones?

For two-time English champion Ruth Mwandumba we are not talking about feeling peckish, or a little poorly; rather pregnancy and the prospect of being kicked by not only one or two feet at a time, but potentially four, and as many arms.

“Twins, yeah, a massive shock,” said the smiling GB athlete, who is competing at the European Rifle Shooting Championships while six months pregnant.

“It’s definitely a strange one [to compete] and not a normal thing people do!

I’ve had some rough training sessions ahead of the Europeans and some days where every shot felt like I was climbing Mount Everest because I was in so much pain and doubt was creeping into my mind.

“But, sometimes it’s about showing up, pushing through and embracing that struggle; I also need to remember to not be too hard on myself because I am growing two humans inside me right now.”

Mwandumba confesses that little can prepare you for the news that “you have two in there” but, on reflection, she feels her mind may have been preparing her in the days ahead of the first scan.

Weirdly, I had a dream that the sonographer found more than one baby, so even though it was a surprise, I feel my body trying to warn me, so I feel like part of me knew deep down, inside, like intuition,” she told BBC Sport.

When prompted to reflect on her use of the word ‘dream’ rather than ‘nightmare’, she clarifies, while laughing; “No actually you’re right, it was a nightmare!

“I woke up going, ‘that can’t be happening, it’s not happening, right?'”

The 29-year-old has also endured a tricky pregnancy, with nausea and vomiting extending into her second trimester.

“The whole pregnancy in general was a bit of a shock because I struggle quite badly with endometriosis,” she revealed.

It took four years of experiencing extreme pelvic pain, as well as really, really intense periods, before I was first officially diagnosed in 2017 and I’ve had two surgeries since.

Endometriosis is a condition in which tissue, similar to the lining of the uterus, grows outside the uterus, and can cause infertility.

She had “difficult conversations” with healthcare providers who warned her she might not be able to conceive naturally.

“It was almost scary to be discussing the possibility, at the age of 22-23, that I might not be able to have kids in the future.

“So, to have had those conversations and then all of a sudden be expecting twins, never mind just one, was a huge shock,” said Mwandumba, who thought she might need IVF but ultimately did not require it.

“I think it’s great to show it’s not all doom-and-gloom and despite the negative experiences you can still get a beautiful experience at the end.”

UK Sport recently released enhanced pregnancy guidance, pledging to “increase and improve support” for female athletes.

Mwandumba’s British team-mate Amber Rutter was one of the first to receive this additional assistance in the lead up to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where she ultimately won silver, three months after becoming a mother.

“British Shooting have been so supportive from the beginning and I think the experience with Amber before the Olympics means they can use a lot of the same support and resources,” said Mwandumba, who was a travelling reserve for the Paris 2024 Games.

While optimistic about the future, one area of concern is becoming a parent and bringing black children into the world.

The shooter, who has Malawian heritage, has been a prominent figure in the push for greater diversity in the sport, launching the #TargetChange initiative in 2022, while she has also previously spoken about her own concerns around racism in the UK.

I think we’re still very much in a scary world, and it definitely is something that scares me,” she said.

“Change might be slow, but it is happening and I’ll always be open with them about how they might be viewed or how they might approach certain situations, but hopefully by the time they are teenagers, things will be a bit different.”

Well before her children reach their teen years though, Mwandumba is hoping to not only return to the sport, but become an Olympian.

She was the reserve to Seonaid McIntosh in the 10m air rifle event at the 2024 Games and has set her sights on the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.

“Once upon a time, I felt as though pregnancy within elite sport automatically meant retirement, and obviously we’re at a point now where that’s not the case,” said Mwandumba.

So many people have been successful at their sport, gotten pregnant, had a family, then come back and have still managed to be just as successful, if not more so and I think that’s so inspiring to those of us who are going through the journey.

It’s definitely motivated me to because my plan is to come back and still hopefully aim for those major competitions, with the Olympics the long-term goal.

“To do it with my twins watching on, would be all the more special.”