Mallory Weggemann has won Paralympic medals before, but this year everything is different.
Since the last Paralympics, the U.S. swimmer has given birth after a long fertilty process and her outlook on life changed heading into the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris.
Her total was bumped up to four Paralympic gold medals, two silvers and a bronze in a stellar career that has spanned since the 2012 Games. She also has 11 world championship gold medals and two silver medals.
“There’s so much to this journey these past three years,” Mallory Weggemann said after winning gold in the 200 IM SM7 on Saturday. “There was a point a year ago when I thought that retirement was really the only path, because, quite frankly, as a mom it feels really daunting. There’s not enough of us doing it, (so) it makes the path feel a little isolating and lonely.
“But I have an amazing community around me and we fought for something that I still love so dearly, and that is swimming. To be here, after all of that, and to see my husband in the stands holding our daughter Charlotte, and to see everybody who kept this dream alive… to not just be here at my fourth Paralympic Games but to defend that Paralympic gold, it is such a joy and such an honor.”
Weggemann won the SM7 gold medal in the 200 IM early in the week, breaking the meet record in 2:53.29. She is the world record holder at 2:48.43 set in 2010. She also claimed the silver in the 50 butterfly (34.94) on Saturday.
But nothing compares to knowing her family is watching her live her dream – especially her nearly 18-month-old daughter Charlotte.
“I hope she can look back and have it be less about the fact Mom won a Paralympic gold, and more about what it takes to truly fight for your dreams, and what happens when you believe in yourself,” Mallory Weggemann said. “Being a mom is everything. I left prelims this morning and I went back to the hotel and I breastfed my daughter and put her down for her nap. No matter what happens here at this pool, I go home and I’m just Mom.
“In her world it doesn’t matter if I’m a Paralympic champion or if I’m giving her afternoon snuggles before nap time, I’m me all the same. There’s something so grounding about that. Being Charlotte’s mom is probably the greatest honour of my life.”
But it was just as important to Weggemann to continue with the sport she loves, not just to inspire her daughter, but wants to show that motherhood isn’t the end of an athletic career.
“I think it’s also important to show that motherhood is a comma, not a period. I think far too often athletic careers seem to have this misconception that they come to an end when motherhood enters that phase of your life, and it’s just not true,” Mallory Weggemann said. “Have there been challenges? Yeah, some pretty big ones. Have there been times when I thought I was going to retire? Yeah … But by the pure nature of following through on something that we love, we get to inspire a generation behind us to hopefully feel empowered to do the same.”