Being a mother and a top-tier athlete is no easy challenge, but these incredible women in track and field show that motherhood can not only coexist with elite performance but can also enhance it.
These athletes have redefined what it means to balance family life and sporting excellence.
5. Keira D’Amato
Keira D’Amato, the USA’s fastest marathoner, found her career reinvigorated by motherhood. After facing setbacks due to injuries, she had her first child in 2014 and her second in 2016. Running became her way of coping with parenting stress, and over time, her marathon training became more focused.
A year after childbirth, she achieved a personal best of 2:40:00, just two minutes away from qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics. In 2021, D’Amato finished fourth at the Chicago Marathon, and in 2022, she smashed her own record with a time of 2:19:22, setting a new national record.
Her comeback continued as she competed at the 2022 World Championships and finished eighth. At 38, D’Amato’s journey shows that motherhood can be a powerful motivator in athletics.
4. Nia Ali
Nia Ali’s story as a hurdler exemplifies resilience. After the postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Ali and her partner, Andre De Grasse, welcomed their third child in 2020, which meant she couldn’t compete in Tokyo.
However, Ali returned to form by 2022, qualifying for the World Athletics Championships in Oregon. In 2024, she narrowly missed qualifying for the Paris Olympics by just 0.06 seconds. At 36, Ali continues to work towards a strong 2025 season, showing that motherhood hasn’t slowed her down.
3. Shaunae Miller-Uibo
Shaunae Miller-Uibo achieved several milestones in 2023, including returning to competitive track just four months after giving birth to her son. In August, she ran her first 400m race since 2022 at the World Athletics Championships, clocking a season-best 52.65 seconds.
While an injury prevented her from defending her Olympic title in Paris, Miller-Uibo’s dedication to balancing motherhood and competition remains an inspiration. She’s now focused on fully recovering and coming back even stronger.
2. Faith Kipyegon
Faith Kipyegon, known as a “supermom,” is a legend in middle-distance running. She became the first Kenyan woman to win the 1500m at the World Championships in 2017. After taking a break from competition to give birth to her daughter Alyn in 2018, Kipyegon’s return was remarkable.
Despite initial doubts about her comeback, she earned a silver medal at the 2019 World Championships and went on to win back-to-back Olympic gold medals in Tokyo (2021) and Paris (2024). Her journey proves that motherhood can bring strength and resilience, rather than limit it.
1. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is a true testament to the power of motherhood in athletics. After becoming a mother in 2017, Fraser-Pryce initially questioned her future in the sport. But by 2019, she had made an incredible return, becoming the first mother to win a 100m world title at the age of 32.
She continued to perform at the highest level, securing silver at the Tokyo Olympics and qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics, though an injury prevented her from competing. With her sights set on a comeback in 2025, Fraser-Pryce’s story shows that age and motherhood are no obstacles to greatness.
These remarkable athletes prove that motherhood doesn’t hold back their careers; instead, it fuels their passion, determination, and pursuit of excellence in track and field.
