HEADLINES &MOTHER
The people, campaigns, research and updates making an impact in our running community this month USA commits to offering childcare and lactation stations at track meets
Alysia Montaño made international headlines when she competed at the 2014 USATF Outdoor Championships while 34 weeks pregnant with her first child. One year later, she claimed her sixth 800-metre national title at the USA outdoor championships while still breastfeeding.
Pregnancy and motherhood meant securing sponsorship was more difficult for Montaño, now a mum of three. Initially she called out Nike, for its lack of maternity protection for female athletes, then continued to advocate for more rights for athletes who are mothers. Montaño set up the #DreamMaternity campaign to highlight the struggles of female professional sportswomen entering motherhood.
This lead to her setting up &Mother, a non-profit organisation for female athletes, to show that motherhood and a career can work. When competitions resume in the USA, it aims to have the back of athletes in training and at major competitions, including providing a house at the US Olympic trials which will enable mothers to bring their children to the competition.