Alice Kinsella is making gymnastics history in Great Britain, as she returns to elite competition after giving birth

“I kind of expected to do that [Saturday] But getting to the final was amazing.

“I’m doing it for my little boy, so being able to finish the game and look at him in the crowd is a great feeling.”

Kinsella’s return to the sport is so rare that it became the subject of a university research paper on elite gymnasts resuming their careers after giving birth.

While there are many examples of mothers returning to the top of their sports, this is not the case in gymnastics, where pelvic floor strength and core strength – both of which weaken during pregnancy – are absolutely vital.

“It’s nice to be back on the floor,” said Kinsella, a bronze medalist in the team event at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

“I was nervous [on Saturday]I thought I was going to bomb it but [Sunday] It wasn’t too bad.

“I was excited. I wasn’t nervous at all, I just wanted to get up and down.

“It’s been nice for the body to only do three days a week. It’s not enough to feel super confident but I’m starting from somewhere.

“After that, I’ll increase the number to four so we’ll see how it goes.”

NHS advice says: ‘If you had an easy birth, you can start light exercise as soon as you feel up to it’ but ‘it is usually a good idea to wait until after your six-week postnatal check before starting any high-impact exercise’.

She adds: “If you exercised regularly before giving birth and feel fit and well, you may be able to start early. Talk to your midwife, health visitor or GP.”