Sports theory behind Serena Williams’ pregnancy triumph
APRIL 20, 20175:09PM
SERENA Williams’ 2017 Australian Open triumph is almost certain to feature prominently in tennis folklore.
The 35-year-old won the grand slam after struggling in the lead-up tournaments at the start of the season. She won it without dropping a set. On Thursday (AEDT) Williams also revealed she achieved this incredible accomplishment while pregnant.
Williams revealed she is 20 weeks pregnant with a post on Snapchat that was later confirmed by her management.
It means Williams was around eight weeks pregnant during the Melbourne Park event when she won seven straight matches, including a straight-sets win over sister Venus in the women’s final.
The announcement cast her win in a new light for some sports theorists who say Williams’ performance during the year’s first grand slam was boosted by her pregnancy.
The early stages of pregnancy have been documented in research journals as a potential athletic performance booster because of the human body’s response to produce more red blood cells and directly increase the body’s ability to carry oxygen to muscles.
An athletic study by Lisa Jarvis in 2003 published in the Seton Hall Journal of Sports Law stated pregnancy can make a significant difference to athletic performance.
“Pregnancy has been linked to a measurable improvement in athletic performance in female athletes,” Jarvis wrote.
“In fact, the effects of pregnancy parallel the effects of blood doping. The benefits of pregnancy include an increase in oxygen-rich blood, which in turn helps boost muscle capacity by 30 per cent; improved cardiac and lung functions; and an increase in the production of progesterone, a sex hormone that makes muscles and joints more flexible.
“Female hormonal changes increase aerobic fitness in the first trimester of pregnancy, when the body produces an abundance of beneficial red blood cells. In addition, the quadricep muscles in the legs become stronger.”
Some tennis fans believe Williams played in Melbourne with an advantage because it occured during the first trimester of her pregnancy.
There are no rules against athletes participating in competition while pregnant.
Under the theory put forward by fans on social media, Williams was able to enjoy the athletic benefits of her pregnancy at the Australian Open before she took a break from the sport.
Those fans believe the 23 time grand slam singles champion has joined a long list of athletes to compete and succeed while pregnant.
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очевидно, что о беременности уже было известно и на АО, ведь Серена сдавала анализы, но раз правил нет, да, наверное, и противопоказаний не было, вот и не афишировалось.