Egyptian fencer Nada Hafez has shared that she competed at the Paris Olympics while seven months pregnant.
She even mentioned on Instagram that she was “carrying a little Olympian one” shortly after reaching the round of 16 in women’s saber on Monday.
The champion attributed her success to the unwavering support of her husband and family, who fueled her competitive spirit.
Hafez, a 26-year-old fencer from Cairo, defeated Elizabeth Tartakovsky of the United States, a former NCAA champion, before eventually losing to Jeon Hayoung of South Korea.
“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!” Hafez said in a post on Instagram.
“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. I’m writing this post to say that pride fills my being for securing my place in the round of 16!”, she wrote.
Hafez, a former gymnast with a medical degree, is a three-time Olympian.
She won gold in the individual and team saber events at the 2019 African Games. In the recent competition, she ended the day ranked 16th, marking her best performance in any of her three Olympic outings.
History has shown that pregnancy doesn’t have to mean pausing athletic ambitions.
Several Olympians have competed and won medals while expecting, including Michele Granger (1996), Lisa Brown-Miller (1998), Kristie Moore (2010), and Heather Richardson Bergsma (2018).
And this year, moms competing in the Paris Olympics have an extra reason to celebrate – the introduction of a nursery in the Athlete Village Plaza.
For the first time ever, athletes can access a sanctuary where they can care for their little ones, complete with essentials like diapers and wipes. This game-changing facility allows moms to balance their Olympic dreams with motherhood.
U.S. track star and mother of two Allyson Felix, who led the initiative, told the Olympics, “I just knew how difficult it was to compete at the top level after I had my daughter and some practical things were really hard.”
The nursery, added Felix, “really tells women that you can choose motherhood and also be at the top of your game and not have to miss a beat.”
She even mentioned on Instagram that she was “carrying a little Olympian one” shortly after reaching the round of 16 in women’s saber on Monday.
The champion attributed her success to the unwavering support of her husband and family, who fueled her competitive spirit.
Hafez, a 26-year-old fencer from Cairo, defeated Elizabeth Tartakovsky of the United States, a former NCAA champion, before eventually losing to Jeon Hayoung of South Korea.
“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!” Hafez said in a post on Instagram.
“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. I’m writing this post to say that pride fills my being for securing my place in the round of 16!”, she wrote.
Hafez, a former gymnast with a medical degree, is a three-time Olympian.
She won gold in the individual and team saber events at the 2019 African Games. In the recent competition, she ended the day ranked 16th, marking her best performance in any of her three Olympic outings.
History has shown that pregnancy doesn’t have to mean pausing athletic ambitions.
Several Olympians have competed and won medals while expecting, including Michele Granger (1996), Lisa Brown-Miller (1998), Kristie Moore (2010), and Heather Richardson Bergsma (2018).
And this year, moms competing in the Paris Olympics have an extra reason to celebrate – the introduction of a nursery in the Athlete Village Plaza.
For the first time ever, athletes can access a sanctuary where they can care for their little ones, complete with essentials like diapers and wipes. This game-changing facility allows moms to balance their Olympic dreams with motherhood.
U.S. track star and mother of two Allyson Felix, who led the initiative, told the Olympics, “I just knew how difficult it was to compete at the top level after I had my daughter and some practical things were really hard.”
The nursery, added Felix, “really tells women that you can choose motherhood and also be at the top of your game and not have to miss a beat.”
Olekanma Favour is a resourceful, self-motivated, and result-driven writer with a passion for crafting compelling narratives and insightful content. She loves tackling complex topics and weaving engaging stories.
When she’s not writing, Olekanma enjoys immersing herself in a good book, exploring new cuisines, and discovering new cultures.