THE term super mum is one which gets used a lot, but there is no doubting that Bathurst hockey talent Tamsin Bunt well and truly deserves that moniker.
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Five months after she gave birth to her son, Arlo Jye Bunt, she has been named in the 25-player Australian women's squad for the upcoming Indoor Hockey World Cup.
That in itself is impressive, but Bunt's comeback also included having to recover from surgery after giving birth. She had trouble with haematoma and internal bleeding.
"I was very happy, it's probably even more exciting coming after having a baby, he's only five months old now. So I'm pretty happy to A, get back and play and B, play well enough to make the squad again," Bunt said after the extended squad was revealed.
"I took longer than what I thought, I actually had a really quite horrific delivery with a lot of complications. I had the baby naturally, but then had major surgery after.
"So I started really, really light running at 12 weeks. Then after I started running I just increased it each day, obviously listening to what the physio and surgeon said.
"I was lucky enough to keep increasing it and improve enough to get back into training. I went to every state training and got back in time for nationals.
"I breezed through pregnancy and thought I'd have a really good delivery as well, but that didn't go to plan."
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Bunt's hard work saw her earn a spot in the NSW team which competed at the Australian Women's National Indoor Hockey Championship in early January. They finished with the bronze medal.
But Bunt, who competed at the 2018 Women's Indoor Hockey World Cup in Berlin, also had the goal of making the national squad.
That she did even though she is one of the older players - the average age of those in the squad is just under 24.
"After I fell pregnant I worked out the timing ... definitely I was 100 percent aiming to make the Australian squad again, but then once I had all the difficulties, I just hoped I would be able to run well," she said.
"That came, so then I thought, well okay, I can put my focus back on the Australian squad."
Bunt will attend an intensive three-day selection camp in August, after which the final team of 12 players to represent Australia at the Indoor Hockey World Cup will be announced.
The date and venue is yet to be confirmed, but is expected to be contested in February 2021. The Bathurst talent hopes to be there.
Bunt is no stranger to overcoming adversity - a serious knee injury meant she missed on out the 2015 Indoor Hockey World Cup - but she calls it "the life of an athlete."
She feels her past experiences served her well when it came to this latest challenge. They've helped her become a super mum.
"A lot of that stuff has taught me to be patient and have the faith I will be able to get back and will be able to do it," she said. "I was very happy and a little bit relieved as well. The last one was in Berlin and that was fantastic, so I'd love to be selected again," she said.
"Mum's can do it, I'm breast-feeding as well so I was feeding him before and after each game. It's good to show you can do it and stay in the sport."
