Recent research conducted by TENA showed that one in three women are avoiding sport due to bladder leaks and former pole vaulter Holly Bradshaw is hoping to raise awarenessEleanor Nobbs16:17, 25 Jul 2026Though Holly Bradshaw no longer lights up crowds with her pole vault heroics, she continues to impact the sporting world.‌After recent research conducted by TENA showed that one in three women are avoiding sport due to bladder leaks, Olympic bronze medallist Bradshaw has voiced her opinion. Following her advocacy for new broadcaster guidelines on camera angles, the former pole vaulter has spoken up again - this time about the importance of educating women on pelvic floor exercises.‌“When something comes up, I'm not afraid to speak out and support people and try to get the right people to listen because that's my moral compass,” said Bradshaw. "I want people to see how amazing sport can be. If I was to ever have a little girl, I would hate for her to come to me and say, ‘I don't want to do it because of A, B and C.’ She should be able to do it because she loves it.”‌Since retiring from pole vault after the 2024 Paris Olympics, the 34-year-old has undergone some major life changes. Bradshaw gave birth to son Sebastian in July 2025, and experienced bladder insecurity before and after childbirth.As an athlete, she was taught pelvic floor exercises to aid training, which have helped with her post-pregnancy netball sessions and HYROX classes. But many women are not so lucky, and Bradshaw stresses that more must be done to raise awareness on bladder leaks and how to prevent them.‌“Pelvic floor was a big part of my training because pole vault is all about your core and strength in that area,” said Bradshaw. “When I was pregnant and I had a baby pushing on my bladder, I was very insecure at times. I felt very vulnerable and that was the first time I felt what people are experiencing.“Pelvic floor exercises are easy to do but it's really easy to slip your mind. I find it quite easy but that's because I've always been very in tune with my body. But if you tell a woman to squeeze their pelvic floor muscles, they won't have a clue how to engage that kind of muscle. It takes practice and a bit of patience.“Promoting pelvic floor exercises can help women feel more confident and stronger, and then it won't put them off doing sport.”‌TENA’s research shows that this issue extends beyond sport, with more than 70% of women who experience bladder leaks embarrassed to socialise. Their data suggests that women of all ages are affected - nearly a third of Gen Z women and 50% of millennials. And yet, how to deal with bladder leaks is rarely discussed.“It’s really sad that it’s such a taboo topic because most women have gone through the most magical process of childbirth which stresses your pelvic floor muscles so much,” said Bradshaw.“And there is a bit of a stigma around bladder leaks. There shouldn't be but I can see why women find it embarrassing - even just socialising with friends, the anxiety of a sneeze or laughing, which can sometimes cause a woman to have a bladder leak.‌“It's very normal and the more people who share that it happens, the more it becomes the norm, and the more people feel comfortable because everyone is in the same boat.”One of Britain’s most successful pole vaulters, Bradshaw is not shy of speaking out in support of female athletes. She recently advised the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) on guidelines to avoid sexualising women with unnecessary camera angles at athletics events.‌That came after Bradshaw saw social media abuse and inappropriate videos of herself online, and reaction to the new guidelines has been overwhelmingly positive. The former Team England athlete has also recently dipped her toes into the world of coffee.Upon retiring, Bradshaw partnered with friend Timothy Booth to create a coffee cart business, and the pair were baristas at Team England’s Glasgow 2026 prep camp.Bradshaw competed at Gold Coast 2018 and Birmingham 2022 - where she was forced to retire injured before the final - and is looking forward to a new Commonwealth Games experience when she heads to Glasgow as a spectator.‌“With the coffee, it feels like I’m part of the team but without that pressure of having to compete,” she said. “I'm looking forward to watching the men and women's pole vault and I have a lot of friends in track and field, so that too.“Netball definitely, and I was making a lot of coffees for the English weightlifters so I’m cheering them on. I’m fascinated by that sport anyway because I used to do strength and conditioning as an athlete and the numbers are staggering.”With her passion for sport still clear, Bradshaw is doing everything she can to support athletes - both on and off the field. Mother, women’s health advocate, barista, and International Olympic Committee mental health ambassador are just a few of her many titles.Article continues below“I'm passionate about supporting TENA with this campaign and supporting the EBU with the guidelines,” Bradshaw reiterated. “It's all with the same core principle of helping young girls and women stay in sport.”TENA Women has created an Instagram broadcast channel featuring exclusive tips from women’s health ambassadors, alongside a range of educational resources designed to help women stay active, strong and leak-free. To sign up for the TENA Women’s broadcast channel, visit @tenawomenuk on Instagram.