Olympic Athletes Break Barriers by Competing While Pregnant

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According to Krqe In a remarkable display of determination, Olympic athletes Nada Hafez and Yaylagul Ramazanova recently competed in their respective sports while pregnant, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in athletics.

Egyptian fencer Nada Hafez shared a heartfelt revelation on Instagram after her event last week. Hafez, who competed in the fencing competition, disclosed that she was seven months pregnant. “What appears to you as two players on the podium, they were actually three!” Hafez wrote alongside an emotional photo of her during the match. “It was me, my competitor, & my yet-to-come to our world, little baby!” Despite her challenging circumstances, Hafez finished 16th, marking her best result in three Olympic appearances.

Similarly, Azerbaijani archer Yaylagul Ramazanova revealed on Instagram that she competed while six-and-a-half months pregnant. Ramazanova shared that she felt her baby kick just before taking a shot and then scored a perfect 10. This rare feat added to her impressive performance, where she advanced to the final 32 in her event.

Pregnant athletes are a rarity in the Olympics, but their stories highlight a growing acceptance of high-level competition during pregnancy. U.S. beach volleyball star Kerri Walsh Jennings, for example, won her third gold medal in 2012 while unknowingly five weeks pregnant with her third child. “When I was throwing my body around fearlessly, and going for gold for our country, I was pregnant,” she later revealed.

Dr. Kathryn Ackerman, a sports medicine physician and co-chair of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee’s women’s health task force, notes that attitudes and knowledge about pregnancy and exercise are evolving. “This is something we’re seeing more and more of,” Ackerman said. “Women are dispelling the myth that you can’t exercise at a high level when you’re pregnant.” She emphasized that, with proper health conditions and no complications, athletes can safely train and compete during pregnancy.

Serena Williams, who won the Australian Open in 2017 while pregnant with her first child, has also spoken about the tough choices faced by female athletes. Williams has expressed the challenge of balancing professional aspirations with family life, stating, “I don’t think it’s fair. If I were a guy, I wouldn’t be writing this because I’d be out there playing and winning while my wife was doing the physical labor of expanding our family.”

At the Paris fencing venue, reactions were mixed between admiration for Hafez’s bravery and concerns about safety. “It is, after all, a combat sport,” noted Pauline Dutertre, a former international saber competitor. “But it is courageous. Even without making it to the podium, what she did was brave.”

Ramazanova’s visible pregnancy during competition earned respect from her peers, including American archer Casey Kaufhold. Kaufhold praised Ramazanova’s achievement, noting, “It’s really cool to see more expecting mothers competing in the Olympic Games. It’s great to have one in the sport of archery.”

Both Hafez and Ramazanova’s performances serve as powerful examples of the incredible resilience and dedication of athletes, demonstrating that the pursuit of excellence can continue even during pregnancy.

 

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