London Olympics 2012: Nur Suryani, first pregnant shooter

London Olympics is just round the corner and there are a few people who will make a difference to this year's Games, Malaysia's Nur Suryani is one of them. She is the only pregnant woman who is participating in this year's London Olympics, while there are a few women who have created a difference in the past. It is time to salute this woman who has given it a totally different look as she has nurtured her Olympic dream more than nurturing her baby.

Malaysia's Nur SuryaniMohamed Taibi is the country's first pregnant woman to participate in the 10-meter air rifle event in this year's London Olympics, as she will be completing eight months while she steps up the line to shoot during the event.

London Olympics 2012 Specials

Suryani, pleased to have been qualified for the 10-meter air rifle event, has said that the Games were very important for her as any other athlete.

"When I found out that I was pregnant before competing in the Asian meet, I thought that that was the end of my Olympic dream as I will have to turn my attention to the baby," she told Malaysian's leading newspaper, The Star.

"But when I eventually qualified for the 10-meter air rifle event on merit, it made me rethink that perhaps I am supposed to go all the way despite my pregnancy."

While Suryani is the sole pregnant woman participating in this year's Games, she also happens to be the first Malaysian rifle shooter to participate in the Olympics, according to The Star.

"The Olympic Games are important to me ... Every athlete dreams of competing at the Olympics," she told the Star. "Yes, there will be pressure on me to perform, but I will just focus on my preparation and nothing else."

The first pregnant athlete to compete was Magda Julin of Sweden, who was four months pregnant when she won the gold medal in figure skating during the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium, according to her Sports-Reference biography. Figure skating did not become a winter event until 1924.

Similarly, Diana Sartor of Germany took fourth in the skeleton race in the 2006 Winter Olympics while in her first trimester.

Recently, Kristie Moore served as an alternate to the Canadian curling team in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Moore was called up during a match against Sweden, who took gold ahead of Canada's silver.

Nur Suryani is ranked 47th in the world and took gold at the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi in 2010 after placing third in the 2010 Asian Games.

OneIndia News