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Louise Thomas
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Fans are praising Egyptian fencer Nada Hafez after she revealed she competed in the Paris Olympics while seven months pregnant.
Hafez took to Instagram on July 29 to share of two pictures of herself in her white uniform, after competing in the Olympics. In the caption, she candidly opened up about being an Olympian while seven months pregnant.
“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!” she wrote. “My baby & I had our fair share of challenges, be it both physical & emotional.”
Hafez went on to describe the ups and downs of her pregnancy while training for the Olympics, before addressing how grateful she was to officially rank 16th, her best result in any of her three Olympic appearances. During her competition on Monday, the 26-year-old lost to Jeon Hayoung of South Korea.
“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,” she continued. “I’m writing this post to say that pride fills my being for securing my place in the round of 16!”
She concluded her post by expressing her love for her husband, Ibrahim Ihab, and celebrating the opportunities she’s had in her career.
“I’m lucky to have shared the trust of my husband @ibrahimihab11 and that of my family to be able to come this far,” she wrote. “This specific Olympics was different; Three times *Olympian* but this time carrying a little Olympian one!”
In the comments, many fans went on to applaud Hafez, detailing how inspired they were by her decision to compete in the Olympics while pregnant.
“You make of us all women so proud to show we are truly capable of ANYTHING! I am even more proud because I am Egyptian,” one wrote.
“CHAMP, from a seven month pregnant woman as well who knows how difficult this stage of pregnancy emotionally & physically, you are awesome and your baby is lucky to have a super inspiring mama,” another commented.
“Balancing between pregnancy and pursuing your passion is never easy, so you should be super proud of yourself regardless of the outcome,” a third agreed. “You’re setting such a good example for this little champ!”
Hafez is a three-time Olympian who won gold medals in the individual and team saber events at the 2019 African Games. The athelete, who began fencing at age 11, is also a national gymnastics champion in Egypt, according to the International Fencing Federation.
