Mallory Edwards will head to this summer's ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships in Oklahoma facing a new challenge in her decorated career — competing as a mother. The 32-year-old, Britain's most successful slalom paddler, returns to the water after giving birth to her daughter Maia, who is approaching her first birthday.
Return to Competition
Edwards, formerly known as Mallory Franklin, made her comeback at the Prague World Cup earlier this year. She has won 16 medals at the World Championships, including gold in the C1 event in 2017 and 2023, as well as two European titles. At the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, she won gold in the C1 event, endearing herself to the British public.
“You can't remember life without [children]. In that sense, it feels like you've been there forever,” Edwards said. “She's just starting to pick up on responding - if you say clap, she will clap and all those kinds of things. To think back to the baby that was just a potato, it doesn't feel that long.”
Focus on C1 Discipline
For the World Championships, Edwards will compete only in the C1 programme, rather than all three disciplines. “I would have liked to have been able to be there in all three disciplines but it's nice to have that little bit of access,” she said. “Realistically this year is about getting back on the start line, getting used to having her and being in that environment and trying to get a bit of a sense of where I am versus the field and what I want to work on over this winter.”
Health Challenges
Edwards is also managing hypothyroidism, a condition that affects metabolism and energy conversion, which developed after childbirth. “In Prague I was wiped out by gate five,” she said. “I was like, I'd like to go to sleep now. It's a process in the background and I guess it's part of having a kid and going through pregnancy.”
Despite these challenges, she remains determined: “I will just try to do a run that I'm proud of. I've got a few things going on in the background physically and medically. I am just trying to get on top of those and trying to get myself in a position where I can have that confidence.”
Balancing Motherhood and Sport
Edwards acknowledged the difficulty of balancing training with parenthood. “Free time does not exist. That period between when Maia goes to bed and when I decide that I should probably follow her to bed is usually about half an hour. I just have a moment of scrolling TikTok and I ended up on Pokémon TikTok. Apparently that's what my brain has been engaging with.”
Paddle UK, the national governing body for canoeing, kayaking and paddle sports, supports athletes like Edwards as they navigate the demands of elite sport and family life.
