My goal of going to Paris 2024 as a full-time mum

Hello,

My name is Mathilda Hodgkins-Byrne, I am a member of the British Rowing team and a full-time mum to Freddie.

Following the Tokyo 2020 (although took place in 2021) Olympic Games, I fell pregnant. This fell in time with UK Sport releasing their first maternity policy, allowing me to remain a full-time, and fully-funded athlete throughout my pregnancy.

In the summer of 2022, I was blessed with the arrival of Freddie (who was almost born at Henley Royal Regatta). His arrival gave me a new perspective on what I wanted to achieve, and an image I continued to imagine was me, at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, giving my son a huge hug having achieved a lifetime dream of attending my second Olympic Games.

This image made me want to train harder and achieve better results than I had before, but there was a problem, for me to continue to look after my son (Freddie is breastfed and my partner is in the Military and is often away during the week) I would need him to come with me to training camps and competitions.

The funding I receive is enough to help me pay rent, buy food, and support with childcare. However, with the current Cost-of-Living crisis, it wouldn't be enough to fund Freddie and his dad (or grandparents) with travel, accommodation and food at training camps and competitions. Often these are in amazing, but isolated locations meaning they would need to travel and stay with the team, to make training and childcare possible.

What will your help support?

1- Travel for me and my family to competitions and training camps.

2- Accommodation for my family to be able to stay with me.

3- Childcare.

4- additional support I may need (e.g deep tissue massage).

5- equipment/ clothing (e.g new clothing to support breastfeeding).

Thank you for taking the time to read my page,

I can't wait to update you on how my personal Road to Paris 2024 goes over the next 14 months!!