There was big news in the world of cycling this week with Laura and Jason Kenny announcing they are expecting their first child. The pair of them posted their delight on social media and it is clearly fantastic news for the first couple of British Sport. Between them, the Kenny's have amassed a remarkable ten Gold Medals but this certainly does not signal the end of their careers, with both still targeting Tokyo 2020.
Laura Kenny is just 24 years of age and has a long career ahead of her on the track, but it will of course be a challenge for her to bounce back from having a baby to the highest level of sport.
If anyone can do it, she can do it. She has proven herself an exceptional athlete and no doubt she will be taking inspiration from others who have trodden the same path.
We have picked out some famous examples of mothers returning to sport and making it back to the top of the tree;
Jessica Ennis-Hill
Perhaps the most famous example in recent British sporting history. Ennis-Hill was the defending Olympic Heptathlon Champion when she gave birth to her son Reggie in July 2014 and plenty questioned whether or not she would be able to climb the mountain once again.
Ennis-Hill clearly had other ideas and just 13 months later, in August 2014, the Brit produced a remarkable display to take Gold in the World Championships. An Olympic silver medal followed in 2016 to further enhance her career as she showed that motherhood was no barrier to sporting glory.
Jo Pavey
We stay with Athletics for our next example with Jo Pavey enjoying the best period of her career as a Mother. Pavey had enjoyed a successful spell in a British vest prior to having her children in 2009 and 2013 but it was after that, that her career really took off.
Pavey picked a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games in 2014, and followed that up with the biggest win of her career when she claimed the European Championship Gold in the 10,000m, at the age of 40, and a year after giving birth to her 2nd child. Remarkable.
Kim Clijsters
Belgian tennis player Kim Clijsters was already a Grand Slam winner when she retired to start a family in 2007 but what she did next went down in tennis and sporting history.
After having her first child in 2008, Clijsters announced in 2009 that she would be making her comeback to pro tennis. That was a big enough ask on it's own but she returned an even better player and just 16 months after giving birth, she won the US Open for a 2nd time as a wildcard.
It was a stunning display from the Belgian and perhaps even more remarkably, she returned again in 2010 to defend her title in successful fashion to further build her CV. An Australian Open title was added in 2011 and her return to World #1 was the icing on the cake on the Mother of all Comebacks!
We have no doubt at all that Laura Kenny will be adding her name to this list over the next few years!
