Amber Rutter, a top Olympic shooter on The Great Britain and Northern Ireland Olympic Team, recently welcomed her first child, a baby boy named Tommy Rutter. She plans to return to training six weeks after giving birth, with a competition tentatively scheduled for the end of June in preparation for the upcoming Paris Olympics. When she discovered she was pregnant, Rutter immediately began planning how to balance motherhood with her Olympic aspirations, navigating the logistics of training, competing, and caring for her new baby.
Rutter, who competed in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics and was set to attend the Tokyo Olympics before testing positive for COVID-19, described facing a “big wake-up call” in 2021. She acknowledged that the Olympics isn’t the only thing in life and emphasized the importance of finding balance between being an athlete and being a mother. Rutter has been vocal about mental health in professional sports and the need to prioritize happiness, revealing that becoming a parent has opened up new avenues of exploration and fulfillment in her life.
Married to motocross racer James Rutter, Amber announced her pregnancy on Instagram in October and expressed nervousness about sharing the news with her team, the U.K. governing body for shooting, and her sponsors. However, she has received overwhelming support and assistance in managing the challenges of training and competing as a new mother. Rutter has discussed the need to make accommodations for breastfeeding, pumping, and bringing her baby along to competitions, potentially even to the Paris Olympics.
Despite the added responsibilities of motherhood, Amber Rutter remains determined to pursue her Olympic aspirations and compete for gold in Paris. She affirmed that her goal has always been to win gold, and she is committed to achieving that dream while also embracing the joys and challenges of motherhood. Rutter’s journey as a new mother and elite athlete serves as an inspiring example of resilience, dedication, and the ability to find fulfillment in multiple areas of life. Her story highlights the importance of support, adaptability, and prioritizing mental well-being in pursuing excellence in sports and personal fulfillment.
