Mallory Weggemann will sit out next June’s 2022 World Para Swimming Championships following a challenging month in her fertility journey, the three-time Paralympian and five-time medalist announced Friday via Instagram.
Weggemann and her husband, Jay Snyder, have been sharing their attempt to have a child through in vitro fertilization since November. In April, soon after Weggemann qualified for her fourth World Championships, they transferred an embryo but it did not successfully implant.
“This past month has been challenging – navigating through the heartbreak of our unsuccessful embryo transfer, to making decisions for continuing in our fight for our little family,” Weggemann wrote. “It has felt all consuming to try and grieve while still move forward in this fight, but throughout we have been surrounded by so much love and the knowing that with each decision we are putting our little one first.
“In April I raced at Trials for World Championships while navigating through our transfer prep, something that frankly felt daunting, but also gave me so much pride for all my body is capable of,” she added. “When I was named to the World Championship team following that meet we were so hopeful that I would go to Portugal in June and compete pregnant. But, unfortunately following our loss and unsuccessful embryo transfer that didn’t become our reality and we have been left to make decisions about what the weeks and months ahead hold.
“While I would love nothing more than to represent Team USA at my 4th World Championships in just a few weeks time, it has become clear that isn’t what is best for this little one we are fighting for and right now they come first.
“Therefore we have made the decision to medically withdraw from Worlds so I can continue on this fight. This isn’t the decision I was hoping for, for many reasons, but it is what is best for our family and our future goals.”
The World Championships are set to take place from June 12-18 in Madeira, Portugal. The 33-year-old Weggemann would have been looking to build upon an impressive resume featuring 17 medals at past World Championships – 15 gold and two silver. Now she’ll prepare for a minor surgery on June 3rd that will keep her out of the water for a bit.
“Our goal with this is to further prep my body to get ready for our next transfer,” Weggemann wrote. “We are continuing on our journey of simultaneous while we wait for the results from last weeks biopsy and lay plans for our next transfer. Through each decision we are holding onto hope, leaning into our faith and anchoring ourselves in love.”
Weggemann lost movement from the waist down in 2008 when a routine epidural injection to treat shingles went wrong. Just 11 weeks later, the former high school swimmer took up the sport again and saw rapid success. By the 2012 Paralympic Games, Weggemann held 15 world records and 34 American records. In Tokyo, she took gold in the 200 IM and 100 back.