Hodgkins-Byrne is the first rower in recent memory to return to an Olympic programme as a funded athlete (Glover had all three of her children while she was out of the sport). “I was always going to be a bit of a guinea pig but hopefully I’ve done all that teething and we’ve all learnt collectively from it if anybody else goes through it,” says Hodgkins-Byrne.
“British Rowing actually want to normalise pregnancy and being a mum, which is huge. The fact they took the time to speak to Helen and I rather than just write what they think works actually shows they’re trying to give us a voice and they genuinely care about our experience. This year has been completely different and I feel really positive about it.”
Would she like to feel more supported? “If there was the potential for a fraction of training camps to be covered that would make a huge difference. But the fact we’re allowed to take them to camp is huge. It makes us better athletes.”
Yet UK Sport, the funding agency for British Olympic sport, has a finite pot. “The problem that you could foresee is if too many athletes choose to be pregnant, we don’t have grants for athletes who are able to compete for us,” says Dr Ann Redgrave, British Rowing’s chief medical officer, who drew up the body’s maternity policy. “There’s definitely a bit of trying to work it out still.”
There might still be more problem-solving to do, but Team GB’s supermums have never been more determined to succeed.