Egyptian fencer competes at Olympics while seven months pregnant
Egyptian fencer Nada Hafez made headlines at the 2024 Paris Olympics by competing while seven months pregnant. The 26-year-old, from Cairo, won her first match in the women’s individual sabre competition but was later eliminated in the last 16. Hafez took to Instagram to share her unique journey, revealing that what seemed like a match between two competitors was actually amongst three—herself, her opponent, and her unborn baby. This is prepared by SSP.
Reflecting on her Olympic experience, Hafez expressed pride and discussed the physical and emotional challenges she faced. She noted the difficulty of balancing pregnancy and sports, stating, "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." She also credited her family and husband, Ibrahim Ihab, for their unwavering support, enabling her to compete at such a high level.
In her initial competition, Hafez defeated the United States’ Elizabeth Tartakovsky 15-13 before losing to South Korea’s Jeon Hayoung 15-7 at the Grand Palais. This marked her most successful Olympic performance, having participated in the previous Rio de Janeiro 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympics without advancing past the Round of 32.
Additionally, within hours of Hafez's revelation, South African swimmer Tatjana Smith secured Africa's first gold medal of the Paris Games. Smith triumphed in the women’s 100m breaststroke with a time of one minute and 5.28 seconds at La Defense Arena. Sharing her victory, Smith stated, "I swam for everyone that has been there for me, that has believed in me, and for my country." This win added to her career Olympics tally, making it her third medal after the Tokyo Games, where she competed under her maiden name, Schoenmaker.
Smith’s gold was part of a series of accomplishments for South Africa at these Olympics. Despite individual disappointments such as Peter Coetze’s fifth-place finish in the men’s 100m backstroke, the country leads Africa’s medal tally on Day 3, featuring additional medals from Alan Hatherly in men’s mountain bike cross-country and other competitors. Hafez, meanwhile, dedicated her performance to Egyptian women, showcasing their strength and perseverance.
Concluding her Instagram message, Hafez emphasized her pride in representing Egypt and the fortitude of Egyptian women. She remarked, "To my beloved nation, my participation was to exemplify the resilience and strength of Egyptian women. Winning against a top American contender was a demonstration of what an Egyptian athlete and woman can achieve."