Eight-months pregnant shooter pledges to deliver

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Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

A Malaysian woman who is eight months pregnant will compete in 10-metre air rifle at London 2012. She found out she would be a mother just days after learning she would be an Olympian.

Nur Suryani Mohammed Taibi is due to give birth in September. Feeling some of mum's Olympic excitement, the baby kicks, and between deep breaths Taibi will ask her unborn child for restraint during competition in Woolwich today.

"I will breathe in and breathe out and try to calm myself down and talk to baby: 'Behave yourself and help mummy to shoot.' And luckily she understands, she always understands," Taibi said yesterday.

Being pregnant means the 29-year-old Taibi has to get in and out of a special suit and belt for practice, but that is only one challenge: she is also drawing overwhelming attention that threatens her concentration ahead of today's competition.

She is aware she could go into labour at any moment, although she said she hopes to win a medal to be able to dedicate it to the baby. "If I won the medal, I will see this is as yours as you helped mummy so much," Taibi said. "Maybe you give me more strength."