Paris Olympics 2024: Egyptian fencer Nada Hafez, a seasoned Olympian, made headlines by competing in the Paris 2024 Olympics while being seven months pregnant. She shared her incredible journey on Instagram, revealing the challenges she faced as she fenced her way into the round of 16. Hafez, 26, displayed immense skill and determination in her first match and secured victory by 15-13 against USAs Elizabeth Tartakovsky in the womens individual fencing event. Despite being seven months pregnant, she advanced to the round of 16, where she faced South Koreas Jeon Hayoung. Although she was eventually knocked out, her performance was nothing short of inspiring.Nada Hafez shares her experienceIn her heartfelt Instagram post, Hafez wrote, 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! My baby & I had our fair share of challenges, be it both physical & emotional.” This Olympics held a special place in her heart as she balanced the demands of high-level competition with the physical and emotional rollercoaster of pregnancy. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nada Hafez (@nada_hafez)Veteran OlympianHafez is no stranger to the Olympics, having represented Egypt in the 2016 Rio Olympics and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The Paris Games were particularly meaningful for her as she competed while carrying her future child. She expressed her pride and gratitude in her post, saying, 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. Im writing this post to say that pride fills my being for securing my place in the round of 16.Decade of successHafezs journey in fencing began in 2014 when she joined the Egyptian National Senior Womens Sabre Fencing Team. She quickly became star after winning her first victory at the Egyptian Senior Womens Sabre National Republic Competition in 2015. Her talent and hard work earned her a spot in the 2016 Rio Olympics through the African zonal qualification in Algeria.Over the years, Hafez has amassed an impressive collection of medals. She won a silver medal in the 2018 African Zonal Championship and bronze medals in 2014 and 2019. Additionally, she claimed a bronze medal at the Belgium Tournoi satellite. Her dedication to the sport and her country has made her a celebrated figure in Egyptian sports.Hafez credited her success to the unwavering support of her husband and family. In her post, she wrote, Im lucky to have shared the trust of my husband and that of my family to be able to come this far. This specific Olympics was different. Three times Olympian but this time carrying a little Olympian one!
