Olympics

Olympians celebrate Mother's Day ahead of Rio

In honour of Mother's Day take a look at some of the Olympians who have become moms between Olympic Games and how they're prepping for Rio.

These women really do it all

It's Mother's Day weekend, a time to thank your moms, reflect on how much she does for you, maybe even buy her flowers. 

So imagine your mom was not only fighting for you every day but fighting for a spot to represent at the Olympic Games - it would be pretty amazing. Well quite a few familiar Olympic faces have added to their brood since London 2012 and will now take on Rio with a little extra support.

Let's celebrate some of the tough mom's that not only go hard for their kids but also for their countries. 

Babies make the best weights. UK heptathlete Jessica Ennis-Hill uses her little guy Reggie to help her warm up for big training days.

Where better to crash post-race than a bouncy castle with your mini-me? Canadian hurdler and heptathlete Jessica Zelinka takes a load off with daughter Anika.

Sarah Brown is a 1,500m runner from the States who spent the majority of her pregnancy profiling her continued training on her road to the Olympics.

And now that baby Abigail has arrived it looks like it'll be a #trioinRio for the Brown family.

American beach volleyball player Kerry Walsh Jennings' daughter has technically already competed in the Olympics. That's right, Jennings was actually pregnant with her third child, Scout, while competing at the 2012 Games. No big deal.

U.S. soccer sensation Sydney Leroux Dwyer will be sidelined for the Rio 2016 Olympics excepting her first child with her MLS playing husband Dom Dwyer. From the looks of her posts it looks like their little one will be carrying on in his parents footsteps. 

Olympic swimmer Dana Vollmer has four Olympic gold medals under her belt and is going for another this summer in Rio. But there's one thing that's different for her this year: She's a mom. Is it harder to train for the Olympics or parent son Arlen?


Natalia Ischenko may have competed in both Beijing and London where she brought home three synchronized swimming gold medals - and plans on coming back and competing in Rio - but it seems like her little guy is into a different Olympic sport.

U.S. runner Stephanie Bruce has been working her way back from pregnancy, blogging struggles that a lot of new moms face post-baby. Oh and she's doing it all while setting Olympic standards.

Three-time Olympic medalist Karen Cockburn married her training partner and Sydney bronze medalist Mathieu Turgeon in 2007. It wasn't until after the London 2012 Games that they brought their own little trampolinist into the world.

Honourable mention goes to Georgian pistol shooter Nino Salukvadze who has been to eight Olympics herself and is now making history with her son Tsotne Machavariani by becoming the first mother-son duo to compete at the same Games.

Happy Mother's Day to all the amazing women who continue to strive for their personal and collective goals.


Did we miss any of your favourite Olympian moms? Let us know in the comments or tweet us @CBCSports