Fencer Nada Hafez traveled to the Paris Olympics with something other than competition on her mind. The Egyptian athlete is seven months pregnant.
In a social media post, Hafez wrote that she was “carrying a little Olympian one.”
The announcement came shortly after she upset American fencer Elizabeth Tartakovsky in the opening round at the iconic Parisian venue Grand Palais on Monday.
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“What appears to you as two players on the podium, they were actually three!” Hafez wrote in an Instagram post. “It was me, my competitor, & my yet-to-come to our world, little baby!”
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Hafez added that her soon-to-be born child encountered “physical” and “emotional” challenges.
“My baby & I had our fair share of challenges, be it both physical & emotional,” she wrote. “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. I’m writing this post to say that pride fills my being for securing my place in the round of 16!”
The 26-year-old Cairo native was ultimately defeated by Jeon Hayoung of South Korea.
Hafez is a three-time Olympian who won gold medals in the individual and team saber events at the 2019 African Games.
Aside from fencing, Hafez also had a career as a gymnast. She also holds a medical degree.
She finished Monday’s competition officially ranked 16th, her best result in any of her three Olympic appearances.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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