- Emily Seebohm has her eyes set on her fifth Olympic Games in Paris
- Wants to qualify to prove to other mothers that anything is possible
- Will be the first mother on the Australian swimming team since Hayley Lewis
Australian swimming champion Emily Seebohm wants to prove to her son and fellow mothers that anything is possible.
Eight months after giving birth, Seebohm aims to become the first Australian swimmer to be selected for five Olympic Games.
The 32-year-old advanced to the 200m backstroke final at the Australian Olympic swimming trials in Brisbane on Thursday.
Seebohm is pragmatic about her chances of making the team.
Emily Seebohm (pictured) has her eyes on her fifth Olympic Games and wants to prove to her baby and other mothers that anything is possible
Aussie swimming champion Emily Seebohm with son Sampson
Fellow Australian Kaylee McKeown is the world record holder and reigning Olympic champion in the event.
In the hunt for second place and a selection qualifying time are a group of backstromers almost half Seebohm’s age, including 17-year-old Jaclyn Barclay and 18-year-old Iona Anderson.
But Seebohm has extra motivation.
“I’ve had moms from the mom group come out with their kids to watch, which was really exciting,” the four-time Olympian said.
“And moms have reached out to me on Instagram or Facebook or whatever and said how inspiring this is.
‘When I was pregnant, I felt like I was losing the athlete that I was.
“And this is me trying to reclaim that… and prove to other women that it is possible to not only have children, but to achieve your dreams.”
Ditto for Samson.
Seebohm says other mothers have reached out to her on social media to tell her how inspiring her mission to achieve a record fifth Olympic Games is after a recent birth
The 32-year-old will compete in the 200m backstroke final at the Olympic swimming trials in Australia
“I do it for myself and I do it to prove to Sampson that if you have a dream, don’t let anyone tell you you can’t do it,” Seeobohm said.
“When I announced I was coming back, a lot of people said, ‘Oh, that’s never going to happen and you’re not going to be able to do that.’
‘I breastfed for eight months.
“And I was able to do that and go train and pump and go to the gym and be home with Sampson and get the swim lessons, get the gymnastics.
‘I was able to do that. It was super difficult, but it can be done.’
Seebohm, who has won three gold, three silver and one bronze medals in her four Olympics, says motherhood has made her a wiser athlete.
“We always think that at 30, this is the prime of your athletic career,” she said.
“And I think there’s more to give, but there’s just a different way to do it.
“It doesn’t do it in the same way as the young kids, it does it in a smarter way, but I still think there’s room for movement.”
If Seebohm is successful in her attempt, she will become the first mother of an Aussie Olympic swimming team since she swam the great Hayley Lewis in 2000.