It’s been a busy holiday season for Brazilian Olympian, Fabiola Molina, and her husband, Diogo Yabe. The couple welcomed their first child together, Louise Maria, into the world on December 20th, 2014.
Molina, a butterfly and backstroke specialist, represented Brazil at the 2000, 2008 and 2012 Olympics. She has also competed at twelve world championships, along with the 2006 and 2010 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships, where she placed third in the 50 metre backstroke. Molina isn’t the only one with swimming talent in the family, as her husband represented Brazil at the 2004 Olympics, and has also competed at several Pan Pacific Swimming Championships.
Last fall, Molina announced her retirement at the age of thirty-eight, to focus on expanding her family while still presented with the opportunity to do so. As two of Brazil’s swimming legends, the couple received an immense amount of support when they announced they were expecting a baby girl earlier this year. For now, the seemingly-ageless Molina is staying out of the pool, focusing solely on her role as a new mom. Although there hasn’t been discussion on her future involvement in swimming, it wouldn’t be the first time that Olympian mothers have found their way back into the water.
Dara Torres, a twelve time Olympic medallist, represented the United States at five different Olympic games. This included the 2008 Olympics, where at age forty-one, Torres touched silver in the 50 metre free, only two years after giving birth to her daughter. Another decorated Olympian making comeback history is three time Olympic gold medalist, Brooke Bennett. In October 2014, Bennett gave birth to her baby boy, Bas Moxwell Frioud. Less than two months later, Bennett announced her return to training, in hopes of competing at the 2016 Olympic games for open water swimming.
Right now, Molina and Yabe are dedicating their time to raising their daughter; reaching out to supporters through social media expressing how truly blessed they are. As for Molina’s future in the pool, it’s fair game and a comeback could definitely be something to watch for. Same goes for baby Louise Maria, because if her water genes are anything like her parents’, and scientifically they must be, there’s a future for her in the water.
