An Olympian, Nada Hafez, has revealed she competed at the ongoing games in Paris while seven months pregnant.
Qualifying for the Olympics is no small thing. While a small fraction of competitors go on to win hardware, everyone can return home with heads held high, as simply making it there is a considerable achievement.
Hafez, an Egyptian fencer, won’t be returning home with a medal, but she is likely very proud of herself, having participated while pregnant.
The 26-year-old was eliminated in her discipline’s Round of 16 and later took to Instagram to disclose she is not that far from giving birth.
“What appears to you as two players on the podium, they were actually three! It was me, my competitor, & my yet-to-come to our world, little baby,” she wrote.
“My baby & I had our fair share of challenges, be it both physical & emotional. The rollercoaster of pregnancy is tough on its own, but having to fight to keep the balance of life & sports was nothing short of strenuous, however worth it.”
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Nada Hafez Tasted Victory At The 2024 Summer Olympic Games
Nada Hafez won her first match, beating American Elizabeth Tartakovsky before losing to South Korea’s Jeon Hayoung.
“I’m lucky to have shared the trust of my husband and that of my family to be able to come this far,” she added. “This specific Olympics was different; Three times *Olympian* but this time carrying a little Olympian one!”
The RO16 finish is the best of Nada’s Olympic career. That she was able to reach as far as she did while with child is quite a feat in itself.
