Briton Barker says she won Tokyo silver while pregnant

06 October 2021 - 17:07 By Reuters
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Elinor Barker of Great Britain celebrates after winning Women's Points Race during day 5 of the UCI Track Cycling World Championships Berlin at Velodrom on March 01, 2020 in Berlin, Germany.
Elinor Barker of Great Britain celebrates after winning Women's Points Race during day 5 of the UCI Track Cycling World Championships Berlin at Velodrom on March 01, 2020 in Berlin, Germany.
Image: Maja Hitij/Getty Images

Britain's Elinor Barker said she was pregnant when she won a silver medal in the track cycling team pursuit event at the Tokyo Olympics.

Barker, who was part of the team that finished second to Germany at the Izu Velodrome in August, tweeted on Tuesday that she and her partner were expecting their first child.

"We can't believe how lucky we are and are so excited to start the next part of our lives together," Barker, who won team pursuit gold at the 2016 Rio Games, wrote.

"And for the eagle eyed among you who have done the maths... yep, I was pregnant at the Tokyo Olympics," the 27-year-old former world and European champion added on Instagram.

American tennis great Serena Williams was about two months pregnant when she won her 23rd Grand Slam singles title at the Australian Open in 2017.

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