Egyptian fencer wins her opening match at the Olympic Games while SEVEN months pregnant

Egyptian fencer Nada Hafez has revealed that she was seven months pregnant when she claimed a shock victory over Elizabeth Tartakovsky of the United States to advance to the last-16 at the Olympics. 

The 26-year-old won her first match 15-13 in the women's individual sabre competition at the Grand Palais on Monday before suffering a defeat by South Korea's Jeon Hayoung.

The athlete was emotional as she secured the impressive win and the three-time Olympian went on to share the remarkable news on social media. 

'What appears to you as two players on the podium, they were actually three! It was me, my competitor, & my yet-to-come to our world, little baby!' She wrote on Instagram. 

'I'm writing this post to say that pride fills my being for securing my place in the round of 16 ... this specific Olympics was different. Three times Olympian but this time carrying a little Olympian one!'

Hafez previously competed at the Games in 2016 and 2021. She revealed the news to 'shed light on the strength, perseverance of the Egyptian woman'.

'The rollercoaster of pregnancy is tough on its own, but having to fight to keep the balance of life and sports was nothing short of strenuous, however worth it.'

Despite a few dissenting opinions, fans were largely positive following the revelation, with some commending Hafez on her effort. 

'What a story to tell for your baby,' wrote one fan on Instagram. Another said: 'Balancing between pregnancy and pursuing your passion is never easy, so you should be super proud of yourself regardless of the outcome. You’re setting such a good example for this little champ!'

While a third joked: 'Just amazing today !!!! But is it not cheating to fence 2 against 1'