Jana Pittman: ‘I was ashamed of my divorce’

Track star Jana Pittman tells Body+Soul she felt like ‘the black sheep’ when she divorced her first husband and former coach Chris Rawlinson in 2011, but now she’s happier than ever.

During a candid new interview with Body+Soul magazine, Australian track star Jana Pittman has opened up about her 2011 divorce to ex-husband and former coach Chris Rawlinson, noting that she felt like “like the black sheep of the family” when the pair first separated.

“In my parents’ generation, they fought and they made up because divorce was taboo. I was the first person to be divorced in my entire network – and I was ashamed of that,” the four-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist admitted.

Despite the emotional complexity of separation, though, women in 2022 are discovering that the end of a marriage doesn’t have to mark the end of your happiness.

Instead, it can be a transformative experience.

Jana Pittman had a transformative experience after her divorce in 20Picture: Damian Bennett. Picture:

“I’m very proud that I put myself through medical school as a solo parent on no income,” said Pittman, mother to Cornelius, 15, her son with Rawlinson, daughters Emily, 7, and Jemima, 5, who she conceived via sperm donation, and Charles, 1, and four-month-old twins Willow and Quinlan, who she welcomed with second husband Paul Gatward.

With plans to enlist in the Army Reserve, Pittman is living proof that divorce can be a second chance at carving out your dream life – something The Real Housewives Of Melbourne star Simone Elliott, 41, discovered last year after splitting from her long-term fiancée Matthew George.

“I lost my best friend, the person I spent a considerable proportion of my adult life with,” she told Body+Soul.

“Suddenly the person I loved, travelled the world with and spoke to every day was no longer part of my life.”

Real Housewives of Melbourne star Simone Elliot admits transitioning to single life can be terrifying. Picture: @simoneelliott_official on Instagram

And Elliott isn’t alone. According to recent research, the pressure placed on couples during the pandemic has seen a renewed surge in separations, with the number of divorces in 2022 forecast to reach 52,145, compared to 48,482 in 2019.

After spending a year grieving the loss of her relationship, Elliott, who admitted she “cried and cried and lost a significant amount of weight” after the split, is now happily single and focused on her career and children, Helena, 12, and Spencer, 10.

“Transitioning to single life can be liberating and terrifying at the same time,” she said.

“I launched myself into the unknown, but I didn’t fall. I flew. I graduated with my MBA, moved up twice into new positions in my career, and expanded my network beyond my previous relationship bubble.”

Jana Pittman stars on the cover of this Sunday’s Body+Soul. Picture: Damian Bennett.

“Being able to exist on my own terms is an immense relief when I wasn’t able to for such a long time. I’ve worked incredibly hard to create a fulfilling lifestyle.

“I certainly don’t fit into the ‘sad woman’ box. It’s not the narrative I’m following.”

Read the full story on bodyandsoul.com.au.

Originally published as Jana Pittman: ‘I was ashamed of my divorce’