Hellebaut retired first in 2008, shortly after winning gold in Beijing, with the news that she was expecting a baby with her partner and trainer Wim Vandeven. She was following in the footsteps of Flemish sports stars like Clijsters and sprinter Kim Gevaert.

Hellebaut’s daughter Lotte was born in 2009, and Hellebaut waited until her 32nd birthday in February 2010 to announce a comeback in time for the European Championships in Barcelona. She admitted she had her sights set on the 2012 London Olympics. She was also, she said, inspired by the comebacks of both Clijsters and Wallonia tennis player Justine Henin.

By August, she was pregnant again and retiring again. Saartje was born in February, but since it turns out she’s a very easy baby – according to Mum – Hellebaut is once more seizing her chance. “I gave birth a second time by Caesarean, so we had to start very carefully,” she explained on her blog. “Luckily it all went faster than after Lotte was born, so I quickly had the feeling I wanted to do more. I hope to start back with normal training in mid-September, and the first competition won’t be until the winter. After that, it’s all eyes on London."