How One Olympic Archer’s Baby Gave Her the Kick to Shoot a Perfect 10

There’s nothing quite like carrying baby along for the ride for nine months. Whether baby is pushing you to be brave through hard times or inspiring you to be creative and cheerful in times of celebration, it’s truly a feeling like no other having your little one with you every step of the way. For one Olympian having baby in tow has been quite the experience.

Azerbaijani archer Yaylagul Ramazanova recently made headlines after shooting a perfect 10 while six months pregnant. When asked about the special feat, she had one unexpected person to thank—her unborn baby. “I felt my baby kick me before I shot this last arrow, and then I shot a 10,” Ramazanova told Xinhua News.

With her perfect shot, Ramazanova went on to beat rival An Qixuan and progress to the top 16. While she was ultimately eliminated in the next round, Ramazanova will go down in history as the first person from Azerbaijan to compete in Olympic archery.

Throughout her experience, Ramazanova was adamant that carrying her little one was not a hindrance but rather an addition to her performance. “I didn’t feel uncomfortable with my pregnancy,” She said. ”Instead, I felt that I was not fighting alone but fighting together with my baby.”

In the comments of the Instagram post announcing her victory, people from around the world praised Ramazanova’s efforts. “I watched her perform live last week. She was amazing! The whole crowd was supporting her and that feeling was amazing honestly,” wrote one commenter. “It’s going to be pretty cool telling your sweet love nugget the year you both were at the Olympics and showed them all what that meant! Congratulations to you both, Mama,” added another.

Ramazanova isn’t the only pregnant competitor striving for gold during the Paris 2024 Olympics. Read more about Egyptian fencer and Olympian Nada Hafez.