Australian netball superstar Gretel Bueta has announced she is expecting her second child.
The 29-year-old Diamonds player shared the exciting news to fans through Instagram on Saturday.
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“We can’t wait for Bobby’s little brother to join us this year,” Bueta wrote.
The wonderful news comes just three months after she revealed that she had suffered a heartbreaking miscarriage.
The star goal shooter was a key cog in Australia’s gold medal-winning Commonwealth Games squad in August, but hasn’t played a game since, having announced she was stepping away from the game in October.
Speculation around Beuta’s future raged when, in December, she was set to return to training with the Queensland Firebirds, but extended her leave of absence — the reason for which is now crystal clear.
Diamonds head coach Stacey Marinkovich sung her star player’s praises in the wake of the news.
“Gretel showed incredible strength during such a challenging time and we are excited her and Niko are expecting a child this year,” Marinkovich said.
“Gretel remains an important part of the Diamonds family and we will continue to support her throughout her pregnancy.”
Buetel’s announcement sparked an outpouring of support and love from teammates, ex-teammates and hundreds of fans.
“Oh Gets this is the best news ever!!! So happy for you guys,” ex-Diamond Catherine Cox wrote.
“Crying with happpppinesss. So happy for your beautiful fam. Congrats,” current teammate Paige Hadley wrote.
“Yayyyy congratulations again Buetas,” fellow current Diamond Donnell Wallam wrote.
Bueta’s pregnancy means she will be out of action for the netball World Cup in July, and will also likely miss the entire 2023 Super Netball season, which she had already planned to do anyway, following her miscarriage.
“Going through a miscarriage is not nice at all, but we are just so grateful we have fallen pretty quickly,” Bueta told News Corp.
“It never gets easy when you go to the scans, you have a bit of nervous energy and my heart goes out to women who experience fertility issues because it’s awful.
“But the support that I felt during that time was huge. You’re just grateful for every day growing a baby and you cherish it, and I squeeze Bobby a little bit tighter during it all.
“To be able to make it through the first trimester has been incredible and we’re very excited for Bobby to have a little mate.”
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Source: 7News