Sports

A Little Olympian: Egyptian Fencer Nada Hafez Competes 7 Months Pregnant at Paris 2024 Olympics

Most pregnant women will probably start to prioritize comfort around the seventh month of their pregnancy and choose comfy clothes and supportive shoes. But on the third day of the Paris 2024 Olympics, Egyptian fencer Nada Hafez made a very different choice. Competing for both herself and her pregnant child, she wore an electrically conductive jacket, saber, and mesh wire mask inside the famous Grand Palais.

Hafez, who is 26 years old and competing in her third Olympics, defeated American Elizabeth Tartakovsky 15–13 in her opening round in the women’s individual sabre category. Her Olympic career, however, was cut short when Jeon Hayoung of South Korea defeated her with a score of 15–7 in the round of 16. Hafez did not disclose that she had been competing while seven months pregnant until after her elimination.

Olympian’s pride and challenges

Hafez took joy in competing while pregnant as she thought back on her experience. “This particular Olympics was unique; I carried a little Olympian this time around despite having been an Olympian three times!” Hafez was quite open about the mental and physical difficulties she had during her pregnancy. “Being pregnant is a rollercoaster in and of itself, but fighting to maintain a healthy balance between life and athletics was extremely difficult, but well worth it. To have been able to get this far, I feel fortunate to have had my family’s and my husband’s trust,” the woman added.

More women than ever before are competing in the Olympics and Paralympics, making Paris 2024 a historic occasion for mothers who are also athletes. A nursery is featured in the Olympic village for the first time, and several nations are honoring the accomplishments of every woman on their teams by showcasing their dual roles as moms and athletes.

Gender bias in parenting

Two-time Olympic champion and top female rower in the world Helen Glover discussed how perceptions of moms participating at the highest levels are evolving. She did point out that, in contrast to their female colleagues, men in Team GB are subject to less criticism on their parenting styles. Glover, who, after coming out of retirement to participate in Paris, has three kids, has been an outspoken supporter of striking a balance between top athletics and parenting. Since it doesn’t affect anything, many of the men in Team GB don’t talk about their children. Glover told Radio Times, “And it’s expected that their careers are longer than women’s careers.”

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She continued, “But hopefully the biggest thing about these Games is how many female competitors are returning after having kids.” Glover herself created history in 2021 when, just eighteen months after giving birth to twins, she qualified for the Great Britain rowing team and made it to the Olympic final. The discussion surrounding parenting in sports is expected to progress in Paris 2024, led by athletes such as Glover and Hafez.