BACK TO ELITE LEVEL FOOTBALL
Starting a family when playing a professional sport is difficult. I really want to prove that you can come back from pregnancy and play at the top level. I hope to inspire women to do so and to show that there is the option of not choosing between having your family or your professional career.
Sara Björk Gunnarsdóttir
Don’t forget to catch the content that launches every month on PUMA Football’s Instagram and Twitter channels, with the full documentary launching in 2022 on PUMA’s YouTube channel.
When Sara came to us with the news of her pregnancy, we wanted to support her in any way possible. Sara decided this would be a great opportunity to give insight into her journey and show female athletes that you can be a top athlete and still have a family. We are thrilled that Sara has asked us to be involved in the process and that she is sharing her experiences as she hopes to inspire female athletes around the world.
Matthias Baeumer, General Manager BU Teamsport
PUMA’s social channels will follow Sara during and after her pregnancy, her training regimes and offer a glimpse into her life as a mother, as she balances family life with her professional career. The content and documentary will offer unprecedented, never-before-seen access into the life of a professional female athlete, as she faces the challenge of returning to elite level sport after giving birth. Sara will give insight into her journey, training schedules whilst pregnant, advice and expert guidance from professionals on her body changes through the process and her recovery post-pregnancy.
Many female athletes encounter challenges and uncertainty over their careers when faced with the prospect of pregnancy. Female athletes are faced with difficult decisions with many having to retire early to start a family due to lack of support, eligibility to play and maternity pay.
@sarabjork90
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ABOUT SARA BJÖRK GUNNARSDÓTTIR
PUMA athlete and Icelandic footballer Sara Björk Gunnarsdóttir plays for Olympique Lyonnais of the French Division 1 Féminine. She previously played for Swedish Damallsvenskan club FC Rosengård and VfL Wolfsburg. Sara has been part of Iceland’s national team since 2007 and represented her country at the 2009, 2013 and 2017 editions of the UEFA Women’s Championship. She is the only woman to have been named the Icelandic Sportsperson of the Year twice, in 2018 and 2020.In August 2020, she became the first Icelander to win the UEFA Women’s Champions League.
