34 weeks' pregnant athlete runs 800m at US champs

And she was cheered to the rafters by the crowd as, her 34-week pregnancy bump proudly on show, she crossed the finishing line some way behind the other runners.

Alysia, who competed at the London 2012 Olympics, says she saw no reason not to run; after all, running is her day job.

"I’ve been running throughout my pregnancy and I felt really, really good during the whole process," she says. "I just didn’t want to get lapped!"

She did, of course, consult her doctors before competing, got their full encouragement – and hopes that her decision to compete will help clear up any misconceptions some people have about running when you're pregnant. Most experts agree that running when you're pregnant is fine, provided you're already a regular runner and you don't push the intensity beyond what's comfortable.

"What I found out mostly was that exercising during pregnancy is actually much better for the mum and the baby," Alysia says. "That took away any fear of what the outside world might think about a woman running during her pregnancy.

"I did all the things I normally do… I just happen to be pregnant. This is my normal this year."

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