Nada Hafez Competes in Olympics Seven Months Pregnant

Egyptian fencer Nada Hafez made headlines by competing in the 2024 Paris Olympics while seven months pregnant, achieving her best Olympic performance by reaching the round of 16 in the women's saber individual competition. Hafez, who has previously participated in the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympics, expressed immense pride in her accomplishment despite facing numerous physical and emotional challenges during her pregnancy. After defeating seventh-seed fencer Elizabeth Tartakovsky in the round of 32, she lost to Jeon Ha-young of South Korea in the next round, officially finishing ranked 16th. In her heartfelt Instagram post, she emphasized the support of her husband and family throughout her journey, stating, 'What appears to you as two players on the podium, they were actually three!' Hafez's experience has sparked mixed reactions, with some praising her determination and others questioning her participation due to her pregnancy. Overall, she aims to inspire and showcase the strength of Egyptian women athletes.