Pregnant GB shooter Mwandumba's twin aims
Ruth Mwandumba dreamt she was having twins before a scan confirmed that was the case
- Published
Success in shooting requires steady hands, steely focus and the ability to block out all external distractions - but what about internal ones?
For two-time English champion Ruth Mwandumba we are not talking about feeling peckish, or a little poorly; rather pregnancy and the prospect of being kicked by not only one or two feet at a time, but potentially four, and as many arms.
"Twins, yeah, a massive shock," said the smiling GB athlete, who is competing at the European Rifle Shooting Championships while six months pregnant.
"It's definitely a strange one [to compete] and not a normal thing people do!
"I've had some rough training sessions ahead of the Europeans and some days where every shot felt like I was climbing Mount Everest because I was in so much pain and doubt was creeping into my mind.
"But, sometimes it's about showing up, pushing through and embracing that struggle; I also need to to not be too hard on myself because I am growing two humans inside me right now."
'I dreamt I was having twins'
Mwandumba confesses that little can prepare you for the news that "you have two in there" but, on reflection, she feels her mind may have been preparing her in the days ahead of the first scan.
"Weirdly, I had a dream that the sonographer found more than one baby, so even though it was a surprise, I feel my body trying to warn me, so I feel like part of me knew deep down, inside, like intuition," she told BBC Sport.
When prompted to reflect on her use of the word 'dream' rather than 'nightmare', she clarifies, while laughing; "No actually you're right, it was a nightmare!
"I woke up going, 'that can't be happening, it's not happening, right">