SportsRio Olympicsteam usaDana Vollmer

Dana Vollmer Wins Bronze Medal 17 Months After Giving Birth

The new mom came in third in the women’s 100-meter butterfly.
Open Image Modal
By 

Senior Reporter, HuffPost

|
Open Image Modal
Dana Vollmer poses on the podium after she won bronze in the Women's 100m Butterfly Final during the swimming event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
CHRISTOPHE SIMON via Getty Images

Dana Vollmer came close but eventually missed becoming the first American mom in history to win a gold medal in swimming on Sunday, finishing third in the final of the women’s 100-meter butterfly.

While Vollmer still earned a bronze medal, she couldn’t quite keep up with Sweden’s Sarah Sjöström ― who set a world record at 55.48 seconds and beat Vollmer by more than a second. Canada’s Penny Oleksiak finished second, beating Vollmer by 0.17 seconds. 

This is Vollmer’s third Olympic tour ― she won three gold medals at the London Olympics in 2012, including one in the 100-meter butterfly ― but her first since giving birth to her 17-month-old son, Arlen. Before giving birth, Vollmer believed she would retire from the Olympics once she was a mom, but decided to make a comeback shortly after Arlen was born. Five months later, she was finishing fourth in the 100-meter fly at the 2015 Phillips 66 National Championships.

Vollmer fully embraced her story as a “Momma On A Mission,” as she puts it, frequently tweeting it as a hashtag and using it as the catchphrase on her website. She has also talked openly about the difficulty of getting back in shape after gaining 50 lbs. during his pregnancy. She is, in short, really awesome. 

For more Olympics coverage:

Our 2024 Coverage Needs You

As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.

Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.

to keep our news free for all.

Support HuffPost

Before You Go

The Olympics Throughout History
(01 of42)
Open Image Modal
Bettmann (credit:Bettmann via Getty Images)
(02 of42)
Open Image Modal
(GERMANY OUT) USA California Los Angeles: 1932 Summer Olympics Javelin thrower Mildred 'Babe' Didriksen (USA) winning the gold medal (43,68) ahead of two German athletes - August 1932 - Photographer: Max Schirner - Vintage property of ullstein bild (Photo by Sportbild Schirner /ullstein bild via Getty Images) (credit:ullstein bild via Getty Images)
(03 of42)
Open Image Modal
(Original Caption) USA's Bruce Jenner got a second place in the shot put of Olympic Decathlon competition with this toss of 15.35 metres. (credit:Bettmann via Getty Images)
(04 of42)
Open Image Modal
(Original Caption) Jane Fauntz of the United States exhibits perfect form during the finals of the springboard diving events of the Los Angeles Olympic games. Jane placed third in the event. (credit:Bettmann via Getty Images)
(05 of42)
Open Image Modal
ATHENS - 1896: The start of the 100 meters sprint at the first Olympic Games of the Modern Era in Athens, Greece. (Photo by Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images via Getty Images)
(06 of42)
Open Image Modal
Olympic Games, 1896. Preparation for the 100-meter race. (Photo by Fine Art Images/Heritage Images/Getty Images) (credit:Heritage Images via Getty Images)
(07 of42)
Open Image Modal
1896: View of athletes, standing in rows, and crowds filling the stadium at the 1896 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images) (credit:Hulton Archive via Getty Images)
(08 of42)
Open Image Modal
(Original Caption) 10/19/1937-Jesse Owens, runner. (credit:Bettmann via Getty Images)
(09 of42)
Open Image Modal
Olympic figure skater Maribel Vinson pulls the oars of a single scull. She is training to be a competitive rower. (Photo by Library of Congress/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images) (credit:Library of Congress via Getty Images)
(10 of42)
Open Image Modal
(Original Caption) Dick Button executing one of his more difficult routines during the Olympic figure skating championship which he won. (credit:Bettmann via Getty Images)
(11 of42)
Open Image Modal
Danish women gymnastics team practising at the 1908 London Olympics. (Photo by Topical Press Agency/Getty Images) (credit:Topical Press Agency via Getty Images)
(12 of42)
Open Image Modal
July 1908: A Danish gymnast walking the beam at the 1908 London Olympics. (Photo by Topical Press Agency/Getty Images) (credit:Topical Press Agency via Getty Images)
(13 of42)
Open Image Modal
July 1908: Harry Porter of the USA in mid-jump during the High Jump event at the 1908 London Olympics. He won the Gold Medal setting an Olympic record of 1.905 metres. (Photo by Topical Press Agency/Getty Images) (credit:Topical Press Agency via Getty Images)
(14 of42)
Open Image Modal
(Original Caption) Her leg muscles standing out like steel cables, Stella Walsh, representing Poland, tightens up to heave the discus during the event in the Los Angeles Olympic games. Stella placed sixth, with Lillian Copeland of the United States tossing the platter a distance of 133 feet 2 inches to smash the world and Olympic record of 129 feet 11.9 inches. (credit:Bettmann via Getty Images)
(15 of42)
Open Image Modal
Bettmann (credit:Bettmann via Getty Images)
(16 of42)
Open Image Modal
Nan Cindele, of Chicago, Illinois, throwing javelin in preparation for the Olympic games. (credit:Bettmann via Getty Images)
(17 of42)
Open Image Modal
(Original Caption) 02/08/1952-Helsinki, Finland- America wins basketball today when they beat the U.S.S.R. team. photo shows incident around the American basket ,Robert Albert Kurland,U.S. defender taking the ball from S. Butatus (4), of Russia. (credit:Bettmann via Getty Images)
(18 of42)
Open Image Modal
(Original Caption) 7/29/1948-Wembley, England- Roy Cochran goes over a hurdle in trial heat on July 29. Cochran went on to cop the 400-meter hurdle event at the Olympics in new winning time of 51.1 seconds. Americans took five first in the second day of competition at Wembly Stadium. (credit:Bettmann via Getty Images)
(19 of42)
Open Image Modal
(GERMANY OUT) Skispringen, Spezial-Sprunglauf: Helmut Recknagel (DDR) gewinnt für die gesamtdeutsche Mannschaft mit Sprüngen von 93,5 und 83,5 Metern die Goldmedaille - im Sprung mit nach vorne gestreckten Armen (Photo by ullstein bild/ullstein bild via Getty Images) (credit:ullstein bild via Getty Images)
(20 of42)
Open Image Modal
(GERMANY OUT) Der Oberstdorfer Max Bolkart beim 1. Ausscheidungsspringen West - Ost für die Olympischen Spiele 1964 am 26.12.1963 in Oberstdorf. . (Photo by Horstmüller/ullstein bild via Getty Images) (credit:ullstein bild via Getty Images)
(21 of42)
Open Image Modal
(GERMANY OUT) Olympic Games Berlin: swimmers jumping into the water - Photographer: Lothar Ruebelt- Published by: 'Berliner Illustrirte Zeitung' 1936Vintage property of ullstein bild (Photo by Lothar Ruebelt/ullstein bild via Getty Images) (credit:ullstein bild via Getty Images)
(22 of42)
Open Image Modal
Italian cyclists Sergio Bianchetto and Angelo Damiano posing with Soviet cyclists Imants Bodnieks and Viktor Logunov and with German cyclists Willi Fuggerer and Klaus Kobusch after the tandem on track awards ceremony at the Tokyo Olympics.Tokyo, October 1964 (Photo by Mario De Biasi;Giorgio Lotti;Walter Mori/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images) (credit:Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images)
(23 of42)
Open Image Modal
JUL 19 1972, AUG 15 1972; Honnen, Suzie; Good Colorado bet in Jr. Olympics; Unbeaten DU Hilltopper diver Suzie Honnen will compete in the 13-14-year-old diving event in national meet.; Suzie Honnen DU Hilltoppers; Coached by Dennis Hartman; Credit: Denver Post Inc (Photo By Ernie Leyba/The Denver Post via Getty Images) (credit:Ernie Leyba via Getty Images)
(24 of42)
Open Image Modal
(Original Caption) Mr. Avery Brundage Makes Closing Speech. Melbourne: With the embroidered satin Olympic flag flying from the dais, Mr. Avery Brundage, president of the International Olympic Committee, makes his closing speech to the crowded Melbourne Cricket crowd. Flanking his dais are the Mayors of Melbourne (Left) and Helsinki (right). The symbolic flag was afterwards handed to the Mayor of Melbourne for safe keeping until the games of the XVII Olympics in Rome. (credit:Bettmann via Getty Images)
(25 of42)
Open Image Modal
Finnish runner Lasse Viren sprints around the last curve in front of Tunisian Mohammed Gammoudi to win the gold medal in the 5000m final, 10 September 1972 at the Olympic stadium in Munich. Viren also won the gold medal in the 10.000m and repeated his exploits at the Olympic Games in Montreal in 1976. / AFP / - (Photo credit should read -/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:- via Getty Images)
(26 of42)
Open Image Modal
1976: Women dressed in ancient Greek tunics at Olympia performing the ceremony of lighting the Olympic Flame at the sacred altar. After the ceremony the flame is carried to Athens by athletes, then flown to Austria for the Winter Olympics. (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images) (credit:Keystone via Getty Images)
(27 of42)
Open Image Modal
CANADA - JANUARY 27: Glenda Reiser; in fourth place; is forced to the outside in the semi-final of the women's 1;500-metre race at the Munich Olympic games. Only 17; Glenda was unable to cope with the opposition in a tactical race and finished a disappointing seventh. But the Ottawa girl is regarded as one of the rising young stars in the track world. She will face world-class copetition in 1;000-yard race in The Star-Maple leaf Indoor Games Friday evening at Gardens. (Photo by Graham Bezant/Toronto Star via Getty Images) (credit:Graham Bezant via Getty Images)
(28 of42)
Open Image Modal
(GERMANY OUT) Mayer, Helene *20.12.1910-15.10.1953+Fechterin, DOlympiasiegerin 1928- (r.) in einem Trainingsgefechtmit dem sechsmaligen Olympiasieger NedoNadi (Italien)- 1928 (Photo by Schirner/ullstein bild via Getty Images) (credit:ullstein bild via Getty Images)
(29 of42)
Open Image Modal
(GERMANY OUT) Germany Berlin Charlottenburg (Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf) - Summer Olympics, apparatus gymnastics - August 1936 (Photo by Wolff & Tritschler/ullstein bild via Getty Images) (credit:ullstein bild via Getty Images)
(30 of42)
Open Image Modal
(Original Caption) 8/12/1948-London, England- Photo shows Shello of Italy circling the track after winning the 1000 meters scratch final at Herne Hill this afternoon. Second, was Britain's Reg Harris and third, was Scharndorff of Denmark. (credit:Bettmann via Getty Images)
(31 of42)
Open Image Modal
(Original Caption) 8/6/1948-London, England- Bob Mathias is shown in action as he heaved the heavy platter in the discus throw event of the decathlon at the Olympic games. With seven of the ten events finished he held a 98 point lead over the second man, Ignace Heinrich, of France. (credit:Bettmann via Getty Images)
(32 of42)
Open Image Modal
Cissie Davies of Great Britain on the balance beam at Empress Hall, Earl's Court, during the gymnastics events at the London Olympic Games, 12th August 1948. (Photo by Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images) (credit:Keystone via Getty Images)
(33 of42)
Open Image Modal
(Original Caption) 8/6/1948-London, England- DUTCH HOUSEWIFE SETTING NEW RECORD AT OLYMPICS. Mrs. Fanny Blankers-Koen (at right) is pictured going over the hurdles during the 80 meters hurdles. The Dutch housewife, mother of two children, set a new world and Olympic record of 0.11.2 for the event. Finishing second was Maureen Gardner of Great Britain (second from the right). She too set a new record, and Shirley Strickland, no. 668, of Australia, took third place. (credit:Bettmann via Getty Images)
(34 of42)
Open Image Modal
(Original Caption) 8/12/1948-Wembley, England- Egypt's Mohammed Zulficar, at right, presses home a vigorous attack to score against Mexico's B. Ramos Ramos during their Olympic sabre amtch in the palace, of engineering at Wembley, England. (credit:Bettmann via Getty Images)
(35 of42)
Open Image Modal
(Original Caption) 7/30/1952-Helsinki, Finland- OLYMPICS GAMES. Mrs. Patricia McCormick of Los Angeles, CA, shows off her championship form as she executes a difficult manuever on the Olympic springboard in Helsinki. Mrs. McCormick's form won her the springboard diving title and the gold medal which accompanies the title. (credit:Bettmann via Getty Images)
(36 of42)
Open Image Modal
(Original Caption) 7/24/1952-Helsinki, Finland- The Rev. Bob Richards of the US team eases over the bar to set a new record for the Olympics pole vault. Richards made 14 feet, 11.14 inches to surpass previous marks on his final try. Don Laz of Champaign, IL., was second and Ragnar Lundberg of Sweden was third. Richards is from La Verne, CA. (credit:Bettmann via Getty Images)
(37 of42)
Open Image Modal
The three winners of the Ladies 200 metre final at the Rome Olympics, 6th September 1960. From left to right, Britain's Dorothy Hyman (bronze), the USA's Wilma Rudolph (gold) and Germany's Jutta Heine (silver). (Photo by Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty Images) (credit:Central Press via Getty Images)
(38 of42)
Open Image Modal
(Original Caption) Joe Frazier of Philadelphia after he won the Olympic heavyweight boxing match against Germany's Hans Huber October 23. Frazier won the bout by a decision and gained another gold medal for the U.S., which clinched the Olympics gold medal championship. (credit:Bettmann via Getty Images)
(39 of42)
Open Image Modal
American athlete Alfred Adolf Oerter Jr. (1936 ? 2007) breaks the Olympic record with a throw of 191 feet 8 1/4 inches in the qualifying round of the discus, during the Rome Oympics, 6th September 1960. He went on to win the gold medal. (Photo by Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty Images) (credit:Central Press via Getty Images)
(40 of42)
Open Image Modal
(Original Caption) International Olympic Committee Chairman Avery Brundage (left) congratulates Otis Paul Drayton of the United States after presenting the gold medal to members of the US 400 meter relay team October 21. Other team members are (left to right): Gerald Howard Ashworth; Richard V. Stebbins; and Robert L. Hayes. The team set a new Olympic and world's record by winning the event in 39 seconds flat. (credit:Bettmann via Getty Images)
(41 of42)
Open Image Modal
TOKYO - OCTOBER 23: (JAPANESE NEWSPAPERS OUT) Hiroharu Yamashita performs in the Men's vault during the Tokyo Olympic on October 23, 1964 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Sankei Archive via Getty Images) (credit:Sankei Archive via Getty Images)
(42 of42)
Open Image Modal
Group photo of the eleven cyclists of the Italian track racing team. They are on their bikes, leant one against the other on the Olympic velodrome. The Italian team shall win the bronze medal in the men's team pursuit 4,000 metres and the silver medal in men's sprint with Giordano Turrini. Mexico City (Mexico), October 1968. (Photo by Mario De Biasi;Sergio Del Grande;Giorgio Lotti/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images) (credit:Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images)
Suggest a correction
|
Submit a tip