Following in the footsteps of Serena Williams who won the Australian Open while pregnant, track star Alysia Montano competed in the USA Track and Field Outdoor Championship at five months pregnant on Thursday.
Montano clocked 2:21:40 in the 800 meters at Sacramento State’s Horney Stadium in the 110-degree heat.
Montano, 31, finished her two laps 19 seconds behind the winning time.
While Thursday’s event was inspiring, this isn’t the first time Montano competed while pregnant. In 2014, Montano competed in the 800 meters while she was eight months pregnant with her now three-year-old daughter.
Montano’s time on Thursday was 11 seconds faster than running pregnant the first time.
"Everyone is like, 'Oh, you're going to be faster than you were last time, because you're less pregnant," Montano, said, according to the Associated Press. "I'm like, 'I'm still pregnant.'"
Montano’s personal-best time of 1:57.34 was set in 2010.
While she already proved a pregnant woman could compete in a track event three years ago, Montano was inspired to compete again on Thursday after learning “Wonder Woman” star Gal Gadot filmed some of her superhero film while pregnant.
Montano paid tribute to Gadot and Wonder Woman with her shirt on Thursday.
"I wanted Wonder Woman to represent me," Montano said of her top choice, according to Team USA. "When I found out (Gadot) filmed half the movie five months pregnant, I said, 'I for sure am signing up for USA nationals.'"
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