Jeon Ha-young's Opponent Egyptian Player "Actually 7 Months Pregnant" Revealed Late

"Balance Between Life and Sports Was Definitely Worth It"
Intense Movements... Controversy Over Fetal Health Concerns

Photo by Hafez SNS capture

Fencing women's sabre national representative Jeon Ha-young (Seoul City Hall) revealed belatedly that her opponent in the round of 16 at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Egyptian fencer Nada Hafez, was seven months pregnant.

On the 30th (local time), Hafez posted a message titled "A Seven-Month Pregnant Olympic Athlete" on her social media (SNS). She said, "It may have looked like there were two athletes on the piste, but in fact, there were three," adding, "Me, my opponent, and my little baby who has not yet come into the world were together."

She said that the process of participating in this competition as an expectant mother was not easy. Hafez stated, "My baby and I went through a physically and mentally challenging process," but added, "Still, balancing life and sports was definitely worth it, and the pride of advancing to the round of 16 made my presence known." She also said, "I was lucky to come this far thanks to the trust of my husband and family."

Hafez participated in her third Olympic stage following the 2016 Rio Olympics and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. She defeated Elizabeth Tatacovsky (USA) in the round of 32 but was eliminated after losing 7-15 to Jeon Ha-young in the round of 16 the previous day.

The sports media outlet Eurosport encouraged her by leaving comments such as "A true champion" on the SNS post where Hafez announced her pregnancy.

However, heated debates also took place on her account. While many praised her for doing her best, there were also concerns raised about the health of the fetus given the intense movements involved in the sport.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.