Emma Pallant-Browne, she is a British triathlete and former track and cross country runner.

She was a bronze medalist over 1500 meters at the 2008 World Athletics U20 Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland. She won gold medals in the individual and team U23 races at the 2011 European Cross Country Championships in Slovenia. However, after suffering injuries she transitioned to duathlon and triathlon. She won two World Duathlon titles in 2015 and 2016 and a World Aquathlon title in 2017.

In 2017, she also won silver at the Ironman 70.3 World Championship.

She finished third in her first full Ironman distance triathlon in 2018 and qualified for the 2018 Ironman World Championship. In June 2022, she won the Ironman 70.3 European Championship in Elsinore, Denmark. She won the bronze medal at the 2022 Ironman 70.3 World Championship. In August 2023, she finished fourth at the 2023 Ironman 70.3 World Championships.

She believes motherhood and elite sport can coexist, alongside a trailblazing company supporting female athletes through pregnancy and return to competition.

Emma, a new mum of one who completed a 7km run the day before giving birth, is proving that having children does not mean having to step away from top-level competitions.

On the contrary, becoming a mother has even contributed towards breaking her personal bests.

Women Fitness President Ms. Namita Nayyar catches up Emma Pallant-Browne an exceptionally talented, British Triathlete here she highlight her unique career arc, her advocacy for mothers in elite sport, and specific tie-ins to Mother’s Day 2026.

Namita Nayyar:

As we speak just before Mother’s Day 2026, looking back at the journey from running 7km the day before giving birth to your current form, what does this particular Mother’s Day mean to you compared to any previous one?

Emma Pallant-Browne:

Wow this time last year I was four months pregnant and running uncomfortably, feeling tired and feeling really responsible for listening to my body to ensure my little growing baby stays nice and healthy. Now this mother’s day I have an 8month old and I am back pushing my body hard and taking him along to the races and hoping he gets inspired to find something that he is just as passionate about in life and enjoys doing and working for.

I think this mother’s day is super special because now I have seen my mum with my son Locky I see how much of an amazing mom she must have been to me in real time and I am even more grateful for her as a mother and the support she has given me as a new time mom.

Namita Nayyar:

What is the single most important message you want to send to new mothers reading this who feel they have to choose between their pre-baby identity (especially as athletes) and motherhood?

Emma Pallant-Browne:

This was how I felt when I was younger that I would need to achieve everything I wanted to in sport before having a family of my own, then I grew up watching mothers win Kona, win Olympic gold medals and come back stronger than ever and I truly do believe you don’t have to choose between the two.
It might be a bit tougher with a child but it makes you tougher, it makes you better at time management, it makes you appreciate your team more, it gives you a bigger drive and a bigger purpose and can make sport even more meaningful than ever before.

Namita Nayyar:

You’ve famously said motherhood and elite sport can coexist. On Mother’s Day 2026, what is the specific daily piece of advice you would give to a mum who is struggling to find 20 minutes for a workout?

Emma Pallant-Browne:

It’s definitely hard, to begin with I found it so tough to leave Locky but it is so important to give yourself that time in the day because that 20mins to do your exercise can get you coming back to your baby more energized, less stressed, happy and with the endorphins that will feed into your baby and play time and love with them.

If there isn’t anyone around to look after your baby for a short time in the day then doing a home workout like a YouTube Pilates or going for a walk with baby all wrapped up, finding a way to get the body moving and feeling good because it has so so many mental benefits that go beyond the physical.

Namita Nayyar:

Looking back at your bronze medal in the 1500m at the 2008 World Athletics U20 Championships in Bydgoszcz, did that 18-year-old version of yourself ever imagine she would become a two-time World Duathlon Champion and an IRONMAN 70.3 European Champion?

Emma Pallant-Browne:

I think the 18 year old me always thought I would be a runner, I never even considered triathlon or duathlon until I had knee surgery and had to be more inventive with my ways to train and keep fit with limited run mileage.

It really is true that when something doesn’t go to plan it can just mean a more exciting plan can come to light and I always knew the door was never shut on running, I could come back to it at any time so it made the decision a lot easier.

Namita Nayyar:

After winning gold at the 2011 European Cross Country Championships in Slovenia, injuries forced you to pivot dramatically. Many athletes retire at that point. What was the darkest moment of that injury period, and what specifically made you try duathlon instead of quitting?

Emma Pallant-Browne:

I think my darkest point came after my knee operation when I was in a lot of pain walking around and knew the extent of the long term damage I had done but I saw it as a challenge to keep the body fit using my upper body to begin with but it was tough because all my closest friends were all runners and I didn’t want to be around races or at training sessions or talking about running.

It helped that I was busy getting my Physio degree at the time so that kept me mentally busy and I still had a goal I was working to there and then I found I could keep fit on the hand cycle first, then one leg rowing and then cycling after that which I actually really enjoyed and that’s when I started learning more about duathlon and triathlon.

Namita Nayyar:

You won World Duathlon titles in 2015 and 2016, then a World Aquathlon title in 2017, followed by silver at the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in 2017. That is four different disciplines in three years.

How did you mentally switch between such different physiological demands?

Emma Pallant-Browne:

My big goal was the triathlon world champs and I knew that the swim was my weakness and so with my run and bike being in a good place the duathlon came a bit easier to me so I really focused on the swimming and I think the Aquathlon was the toughest one but it showed how much my swim had improved and that really helped with my triathlon.

I think breaking it down to prioritize each discipline really helped so the swim was the big focus, the biking came second and the run I just relaxed more on and loved all my run sessions! But I do think it helps prioritizing race focus too so having an A race (the biggest goal of the season which everything focuses around) a few B races (pretty important but lead into the A race) and C races that you train through a bit more.

Namita Nayyar:

In 2018, you finished third in your first full Ironman and qualified for Kona. Was there a moment during that race where you thought, “I actually belong here,” or was it pure survival?

Emma Pallant-Browne:

For me ironman was pure survival! I was in a pretty bad way crossing the line and a lot of it was down to the nutrition side of things.

Coming from running 1500m which was a 4 minute event which I definitely didn’t need to fuel during to 4hour races in the half ironman races where I got away sometimes with under fueling and then doubling that to ironman I really struggled with my nutrition and keeping the carbs down!

Namita Nayyar:

Fast-forward to 2022: You win the Ironman 70.3 European Championship in Elsinore, then bronze at the 70.3 World Championship. Then 4th in 2023. What is the difference between bronze and the top step of the podium at that level?

Emma Pallant-Browne:

There definitely feels like a big gap between winning the worlds and coming third. When I was second at my first World 70.3 Champs, I looked at Daniella Ryf who won and it made me hungry for me, I tried to look at what she was doing to help make me more competitive and that’s why I chose to race an ironman.
I think then when you win a championship it seems a bit more simple because you know what you do and where the level is at and you know you need to beat yourself next year and so your rival becomes the one you look at in the mirror each day and that’s easier to analyse and know where to improve on because you know your rival inside out.

Namita Nayyar:

You are now part of a movement (alongside athletes like Jocelyn) proving that having children can break personal bests.

Can you name one specific physiological or mental change from pregnancy that you believe has made you a better triathlete?

Emma Pallant-Browne:

I think now a a mother I have a more powerful motivation and drive now than ever before, to inspire Locky. For him to grow up seeing me work hard and loving what I do and all the things that sport adds to life, I really want to be the best role model possible to him and its his little face now I think of in those moments of training where you hit the deep dark place and need to dig the deepest to find something more.

Full Interview is Continued on Next Page

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