'A Little Olympian': Egyptian Fencer Competes While Being 7 Months Pregnant

Imagine competing at the Olympics while seven months pregnant. That’s precisely what Egyptian fencer Nada Hafez did. The 26-year-old athlete shared her extraordinary experience on Instagram, revealing that she competed not just for herself but for her unborn baby as well.

Competing for Two (and a Half)

Hafez's journey at the Paris Olympics was marked by a significant achievement. She won her first match in the women's individual sabre against Elizabeth Tartakovsky of the United States, triumphing 15-13. However, her progress was halted in the last 16 by South Korea's Jeon Hayoung, who defeated her 15-7.

Pride and Challenges

Hafez, hailing from Cairo, was competing in her third Olympics. Reflecting on her experience, she expressed immense pride in her Instagram post, stating, "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!"

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A post shared by Nada Hafez (@nada_hafez)

Hafez candidly shared the challenges she faced, both physical and emotional, during her pregnancy. She described the journey as a rollercoaster, emphasizing the difficulty of balancing life and sports. Despite the hardships, she considered the experience worthwhile, crediting the support of her husband, Ibrahim Ihab, and her family for helping her reach this point.

Balancing Pregnancy and Professional Sports

Competing at her third Olympics, Hafez described the experience as a source of immense pride. "Pride fills my being," she stated, reflecting on her ability to take to the piste while expecting. The physical and emotional challenges of pregnancy, coupled with the demands of Olympic-level competition, made her journey particularly arduous.

"The rollercoaster of pregnancy is tough on its own, but having to fight to keep the balance of life and sports was nothing short of strenuous, however worth it," Hafez added. She acknowledged the crucial support from her husband, Ibrahim Ihab, and her family, which enabled her to reach this significant milestone.

Competing in the Olympics is a monumental challenge in itself, demanding peak physical and mental performance from athletes. Fencing, with its intense focus on speed, precision, and strategy, raises the difficulty to another level. Pregnancy, with its myriad physical and emotional challenges, further complicates any athletic endeavor. Yet, fencing at the Olympics while seven months pregnant, as Egyptian fencer Nada Hafez did, is nothing short of iconic.