On the third day of the Paris 2024 Olympics, Egyptian fencer Nada Hafez showcased incredible determination by competing while seven months pregnant. The 26-year-old from Cairo didn’t just face off against some of the best athletes in the world; she did it with a little champion on board.
After making it to the round of 16, Hafez took to Instagram on July 29 to share her journey. She explained, “What looks like two players on the podium was actually three! It was me, my competitor, and my future little one!” She acknowledged the challenges of balancing pregnancy with her passion for sports, calling it “nothing short of strenuous but worth it.” Her pride in reaching the round of 16 was palpable as she concluded her post with excitement.
Fans quickly flooded the comments with love and support. One wrote, “Balancing pregnancy and passion is tough, and you should be so proud! You’re setting a great example for your little champ! 🏆🥇” Another follower commented, “You’re a badass mama to be! Alf Mabrouk, habibti! You’ve made us all so proud! 👏♥️” A third added, “You’re a role model; we’re all proud of youuu❤️❤️❤️.”
Hafez’s journey in the Olympics was commendable as she defeated Elizabeth Tartakovsky from the USA but eventually lost to South Korea’s Jeon Hayoung.
She’s not the first Olympian to compete while pregnant, joining the ranks of other remarkable athletes like U.S. softball pitcher Michele Granger in 1996 and U.S. ice hockey player Lisa Brown-Miller in 1998, among others, who have managed to compete and even win medals while expecting.