Photography: Sacha Kahaki.
Little baby Brooks Browning has just learnt how to wave and his timing couldn’t be more perfect. The adorable nine-month-old will be trackside at Glasgow’s Commonwealth Games velodrome, showing off his new skill to his champion mum, Kiwi cyclist Rebecca Petch, as she lines up with Ellesse Andrews and Olivia King in the women’s sprint race this week.
It’s a moment Rebecca dreamed of a year ago, when she and husband Jarrod Browning were preparing for Brooks’ October arrival.
“My ultimate goal is to get to the LA Olympics in 2028 and hopefully to the world champs later this year, so it was exciting to get the call saying I’d been selected for the Commonwealth Games,” shares the double Olympian, 28, whose remarkable comeback was sealed when she met the performance standard for Glasgow in May.
“It’ll be so cool having Brooks and Jarrod there cheering me on.”
“I’m heading over as Daddy Daycare,” smiles Jarrod, 30, adding that their wee boy is “full gas” and “definitely takes after his mum”.
Returning to elite sport as a new mum
Rebecca – who won silver at the 2024 Paris Olympics and gold at the last Commonwealth Games in Birmingham – admits the journey back to elite cycling hasn’t been easy since becoming a mum. She found it especially challenging early on, when her mind wanted to get back to her normal training regime but her body “definitely wasn’t ready”.
“I did nothing for the first six or seven weeks apart from being a milk lady!” grins Rebecca, adding she’s slowly rebuilt her strength and speed since returning to the velodrome at the National Cycling Centre in Cambridge 11 weeks after giving birth.
Both Rebecca and Jarrod agree parenthood has been a steep learning curve, and the juggle is real when it comes to balancing top-level sport with parenting and running a business, but they love it.
“There’s no manual with a baby, so we’re pretty much winging it,” Rebecca smiles.
“Leaving him is super-hard, but I make every minute count when I’m at the velodrome, so I can come home and be completely present for Brooks. He’s so cool and fun. We love seeing all his little milestones.”
The support system
Tradie Jarrod says his biggest joy is getting home from a day’s work running his Waikato company Elite Spouting to see Rebecca and their smiley wee boy. To help with his wife’s Commonwealth prep, he’s been working weekends and taking Mondays off to spend with Brooks while she’s training in Cambridge, about half an hour from their Pirongia home.
“Brooks and I watch a bit of Nascar and Formula 1, and he’s got a wee bike, which he’s excited about,” laughs Jarrod.
“He’s already learning how to push his feet.”
The couple has strong family support, with Brooks’ doting grandmothers Sonya Petch and Sandi Miller both helping out. And on Rebecca’s two least intense training days, the tot is a familiar sight at the velodrome, where he loves watching his mum and “aunties”, Rebecca’s teammates Ellesse and Olivia, speed around the track.
“They love him and are so supportive,” shares Rebecca.
“Brooks is lucky to have them in his life.”
The sweetest addition to their family
Even the family pets have embraced the new arrival, with Arlo the golden retriever becoming Brooks’ protector, checking on him when he cries and lying guard outside his bedroom, while Ziggy the cat, who wasn’t sure about Brooks at first, now likes to sit beside him.
And Jarrod admits he’s also a bit of a pushover when it comes to their wee boy.
“I can’t be strict – he’s going to get whatever he wants,” he jokes.
Rebecca nods, “I’m a bit of a softie too!”
Rebecca is ready for her next big challenge
While they were worried about being “that couple with the baby” on their long flight to Scotland, Rebecca is grateful they’ve been able to borrow a Scottish track cyclist’s flatin Glasgow that’s “super-close to the velodrome”.
Rebecca’s excited to be back competing at the highest level and although she expects tough competition, she believes the team has a good chance of adding to their already impressive medal haul.
“It’s going to be so cool to line up again and we’ll put our best foot forward. I’m really happy with the programme and the progress we’ve made.”
And somewhere in the stands at the Glasgow velodrome will be a proud hubby and little boy waving his tiny hand, cheering on his remarkable mum’s comeback, showing that motherhood and elite sport can exist side by side.
