Egyptian Fencing Athlete Reveals She Competed in the 2024 Paris Olympics While 7 Months Pregnant

An Egyptian fencer is showing the world that women who are soon-to-be moms can compete at the highest level of the Olympics while carrying a pregnancy.

On Monday, July 30, fencing star Nada Hafez revealed that she is seven months pregnant in a touching Instagram post highlighting the power of female athletes and moms-to-be.

"(SEVEN) MONTHS PREGNANT OLYMPIAN!" the athlete posted on Instagram, along with a photo of her competing in the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics.

"Looks like you have two athletes on the podium, when in fact there were three! Me, my competitor, and a little baby who has yet to come into our world!" I continued in the caption." My baby and I went through our fair share of trials, both physical and mental"

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Hafez continued that the "roller coaster of pregnancy" was "hard enough on its own," and the added difficulty of "having to fight to keep a balance between life and sports" was nothing short of grueling.

"I am writing this article proud to say that we made it to the round of 16!" she added. 'I am lucky to have shared my family's faith with my husband @ibrahimihab11 and to have made it this far. This Olympics was special, I'm a 3-time *Olympian*, but this time I'm carrying a little Olympian on my back!"

Hafez is no stranger to the Olympic stage. Most recently, she defeated American Elizabeth Tartakovsky, ranked 10th in the world, before ultimately losing to South Korea's Ha-Young Chung.

According to her Instagram, Hafez recently married her husband Ibrahim Ihab on March 2, 2023. That same month, she published a series of wedding photos along with the wedding date and a white heart emoji.

Hafez is also a former gymnast with a degree in medicine. In another touching Instagram post, she discussed her life as both an athlete and a medical professional.

"I am grateful to have had the opportunity to live my life as a medical professional alongside my career as an athlete," she wrote on Instagram, sharing a series of photos as she said. 'Throughout those seven years, I am grateful to have had the great honor and privilege of representing my country in the Olympics twice. I am thankful that I surpassed myself and went far beyond what I was capable of doing.

"I am most grateful to my family for the love, support, care, and comfort they have created for me," she continued.

"For their support throughout my life. I thank Mammy and Puppy Light for guiding me to success. Without them, I would be nowhere."

"I also thank my partner Ibrahim. Above all, a partner in friendship. And a partner in support, cheering, aiming high, dreaming big, and loving hard. In so many things. I am grateful for this journey that has crossed us and joined our paths. The path is one."