Egyptian fencer, Nada Hafez revealed she competed in the Paris Olympics while seven months pregnant.
The 26-year-old participating in her third Olympics, won her first match in the women’s sabre competition before being knocked out in the last 16. In an Instagram post, Hafez shared, “What appears to you as two players on the podium, they were actually three! It was me, my competitor, and my yet-to-come to our world little baby!” She expressed immense pride in competing while expecting.
Hailing from Cairo, Hafez defeated Elizabeth Tartakovsky of the United States 15-13 before losing 15-7 to Jeon Hayoung of South Korea at the Grand Palais in Paris.
“My baby and I had our fair share of challenges, both physical and emotional,” Hafez added. “The rollercoaster of pregnancy is tough on its own, but balancing life and sports was nothing short of strenuous, however worth it. I’m lucky to have shared the trust of my husband (Ibrahim Ihab) and that of my family to be able to come this far.”
