Just a couple of weeks after announcing her retirement, Australian swimming ace Alicia Coutts has revealed another major milestone. Per a Swimming Australia tweet dated November 6th, Coutts is expecting her first baby in May 2017.
Big news from @Alicia_Coutts – she is expecting her first baby in May! Looks like @mel_wright's bub will have a play mate! #SwimGala16
— Australian Swim Team (@DolphinsAUS) November 6, 2016
In the pool, Coutts still stands as the fastest Australian ever in textile in the 200 IM. She’s a five-time Olympic medalist who also owns 8 World Championship medals, 6 Pan Pacs medals, and 9 Commonwealth Games medals. Most recently, she competed at the 2016 Rio Olympics, where she finished 5th in the 200 IM.
Out of the pool, Coutts married longtime love, school teacher Steve Hardy in November 2015 after having dated for 7 years. At the time, Coutts told local media, ‘I’m so excited we’re finally married. Now we can’t wait to have kids and share the rest of our lives together.’ With the baby news coming just 3 months out from Rio, the 29-year-old wasted no time getting her family started.
Adding to the fun is the fact that Coutts’ child will immediately have a playmate, as now-retired Australian swimmer (and former Coutts relaymate) Mel Wright announced her pregnancy last month. Wright’s child is due in February, so the two children will be separated by only about 3 months.