Egyptian fencer Nada Hafez, who competed in the Olympics in Paris, revealed that she is seven months pregnant, sparking discussions among netizens and drawing opinions from obstetrician-gynecologists.
At the age of 26, Hafez defeated American fencer Genndy Tartakovsky, ranked seventh in the world, with a score of 15:13 in the first round on July 29. However, she was later defeated by South Korean fencer Jeon Hayoung in the round of 16, ending her journey at the current Olympics.
After the competition, Hafez took to Instagram to disclose that she is seven months pregnant. She jokingly referred to the situation as having “three people” on the field – herself, her opponent, and her unborn baby. The post has received over 98,000 likes so far.
In her post, Hafez wrote, “You see two fencers on the stage, but there are actually three people! There’s me, my competitor, and my unborn little baby!”
She stated, “I am writing this post to express how proud I am to have made it to the round of 16.”
Hafez mentioned that this Olympics was different for her. As a three-time Olympic athlete, this time she brought a little Olympic participant (her baby) to compete.
Having participated in the 2016 Rio Olympics and 2021 Tokyo Olympics, she declared her pregnancy news to showcase the strength and determination of Egyptian women.
She admitted that competing while pregnant presented many challenges, both physically and emotionally, for herself and her baby.
She said, “The ups and downs during pregnancy were very difficult, and balancing life and sports was extremely challenging, but it was all worth it.”
She particularly thanked her husband and family for their support, enabling her to continue pursuing her Olympic dream in such a unique circumstance.
In response to Hafez’s post, many netizens shared their thoughts. Some jokingly commented, “Is it cheating when two fencers face one?” While others expressed their admiration, stating, “No medal can define your strength. Even without a gold medal, you are a champion.”
Regarding the opinion of doctors on Hafez competing with a big belly, Dr. Shi Jingzhong, Chief of Obstetrics at National Taiwan University Hospital, told Central News Agency that he believes there must have been a professional coaching team evaluating behind the scenes. The national team of Egypt would never risk allowing athletes to participate in competitions exceeding their physical capacity.
Dr. Shi mentioned that if the professional coaches assessed it as feasible, from a medical standpoint, he wouldn’t object to pregnant women competing, as exercise has positive effects on pregnant women. However, each pregnant woman’s physical condition is different, especially when the exercise is intense, it must undergo professional evaluation.
He advised that for the general public who are not sports champions but want to exercise, he usually recommends primarily aerobic activities such as walking. Although there are rare extreme cases of participating in marathons, he does not specifically encourage it.