By the seventh month of pregnancy, it’s understandable for expectant mothers to prefer comfy shoes and stretchy clothing.
However, on the third day of the Paris 2024 Olympics, Egyptian fencer Nada Hafez opted for an electrically-conductive jacket, a sabre, and a mesh wire mask as she took to the field of play at the breathtaking Grand Palais, accompanied by her unborn child.
At 26 years old, Hafez claimed victory in her first match of the women’s individual sabre category but was eliminated in the last 16. She later shared that she had been seven months pregnant during the competition.
“What may seem like a duel between two competitors was actually a trio: me, my opponent, and my soon-to-arrive little one!” the Cairo native expressed in an Instagram post. Making her third Olympic appearance, Hafez conveyed that “a sense of pride envelops me” for competing while expecting.
Hafez triumphed over Elizabeth Tartakovsky from the United States with a score of 15-13, only to be defeated 15-7 by South Korea’s Jeon Hayoung.
“Facing both physical and emotional hurdles has been our shared journey, me and my baby. The ups and downs of pregnancy are challenging, and balancing life along with sport has been incredibly demanding, yet absolutely worthwhile. I’m grateful for the support from my husband [Ibrahim Ihab] and family that enabled me to make it this far. This Olympics was unlike any other; a three-time Olympian, but this time with a future Olympian in tow!”
The Paris 2024 Games have become a significant tribute to athletic mothers, as more women with children than ever are participating in both the Olympics and Paralympics. For the first time, the Olympic village features a nursery, and several nations are using the Games to showcase the contributions of women on their teams.
Helen Glover, the world’s top female rower and a two-time Olympic gold medalist, remarked that the Games are shifting perceptions regarding mothers competing at elite levels, although she noted that male members of Team GB face less scrutiny for being parents than their female counterparts.
Glover, a mother of three, has been vocal about the challenges of balancing motherhood with elite athleticism since her return from retirement last year in order to compete in Paris.
“Many men on Team GB are fathers, yet this isn’t a topic of discussion because it doesn’t affect their careers. There’s a prevailing expectation that men’s careers last longer than those of women,” Glover told the Radio Times. “However, I hope the most significant takeaway from these Games is the number of female athletes returning after motherhood.”
Glover made history during the Tokyo 2021 Olympics, being the first mother to qualify for the Great Britain rowing team, achieving this feat just 18 months post-delivery of her twins.
