Pregnant athletes who competed in the Olympics

Such was the case for Nada Hafez, the 26-year-old fencer representing Egypt at the Paris 2024 Games. Hafez gave an impressive performance in her category, beating Team USA's Elizabeth Tartakovsky before being defeated by South Korea's Jeon Hayoung. Once her competition was over, Hafez made the shocking confession that she was seven months pregnant! “What appears to you as two players on the podium, they were actually three,” Nada revealed on Instagram on July 30. “It was me, my competitor, & my yet-to-come to our world, little baby!” She continued, “My baby & I had our fair share of challenges, be it both physical & emotional. The rollercoaster of pregnancy is tough on its own, but having to fight to keep the balance of life & sports was nothing short of strenuous, however worth it.”

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Yaylagul Ramazanova -

Azerbaijani archer Yaylagul Ramazanova defied the odds at the Paris 2024 Olympics by competing while six and a half months pregnant. Many women experience "baby brain" during pregnancy, but Ramazanova showcased incredible focus and determination in a sport that demands razor-sharp concentration. The 35-year-old shared her inspiring journey on Instagram, even describing feeling her baby kick just before landing a perfect shot. Remarkably, she was also the second archer to ever represent Azerbaijan.

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Lindsay Flach -

In late June 2021, the American track and field athlete competed at the Olympic Trials while 18-weeks pregnant. Although she didn’t make the Olympic team, her story is truly inspirational.

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Kerri Walsh Jennings -

The American beach volleyball player won gold at the London 2012 Games when she was five-weeks pregnant.

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Magda Julin -

The Swedish figure skater was four-months pregnant when she won gold at the 1920 Olympic Games.

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Lisa Brown-Miller -

The Team USA ice hockey player (right) was two-months pregnant when she competed at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan.

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Lisa Brown-Miller -

Reportedely, the team would each rub her belly for good luck before the games. It seemed to have worked, because they brought a gold medal home!

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Kateřina Emmons -

The Czech sport shooter was one-month pregnant at the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

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Kateřina Emmons -

As for her performance, she won a gold medal and a silver medal, and even set a new Olympic record. Did someone say super mom-to-be?

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Anky van Grunsven -

The Dutch equestrian won gold in the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. She was five-months pregnant.

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Kristie Moore -

The Canadian curler (far left) was just over five-months pregnant when she competed at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics. Her team won silver.

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Kerstin Szymkowiak -

The German skeleton racer, aka “The Ice Tiger,” won the silver medal at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver.

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Kerstin Szymkowiak -

And she did so while being eight-weeks pregnant! So part of the medal also belongs to her daughter, Nicole.

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Amelie Kober -

The German snowboarder (who's also a police officer) won silver at at the Turin Winter Olympic Games in 2006. Kober was two-months pregnant.

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Cornelia Pfohl -

The German archer was two-months pregnant when she competed in Sydney 2000. She won bronze.

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Cornelia Pfohl -

And guess what? Pfohl was expecting again at the 2004 Olympics in Athens. This time though she was seven-months pregnant!

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Khatuna Lorig -

Lorig was four-months pregnant when she competed in the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona. She won bronze.

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Khatuna Lorig -

The Olympic archer not only competed for three different countries (the Soviet Union, Georgia, and the United States), but she also did so under two different names: Khatuna Kvrivishvili and Khatuna Lorig. And one more thing...

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Nur Suryani Mohd Taibi -

The Malaysian shooter was a whopping 34-weeks pregnant when she competed at London 2012.

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Nur Suryani Mohd Taibi -

"Most people said I was crazy and selfish because they think I am jeopardizing my baby’s health," said Taibi. "My husband said grab it as this is a rare chance which may not come again. Also, I am the mother. I know what I can do. I am a stubborn person."

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Diana Sartor -

If you think being a skeleton racer is hard, now imagine doing it while pregnant!

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Diana Sartor -

The German athlete did exactly that at the Torino Winter Olympics in 2006. Sartor was two-weeks pregnant when she competed.

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Anna-Maria Johansson -

The Swedish handball player was on her third month of pregnancy when she participated in the London 2012 Olympics.

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Diana Reyes -

The Puerto Rican volleyball player discovered she was pregnant just a few days before she competed in Rio 2016.

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Diana Reyes -

The athlete was hospitalized following a car crash, and only then found out that she was expecting. Reyes was four-months pregnant when she participated in the Olympics.

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Martina Valcepina -

The Italian short track speed skater not only was one-month pregnant when she competed in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, but she was expecting twins!

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Anita Springs -

The Australian beach volleyball player was four-months pregnant when she competed at the Atlanta Olympic Games in 1996.

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DeAnne Hemmens -

The American sprint canoer (not pictured) was yet another Atlanta 1996 competitor expecting. Hemmens was into her second month of pregnancy when she participated in the Olympics.

Sources: (CNN) (BabyGaga) (Women's Health)

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Nada Hafez -

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Yaylagul Ramazanova -

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Lindsay Flach -

In late June 2021, the American track and field athlete competed at the Olympic Trials while 18-weeks pregnant. Although she didn’t make the Olympic team, her story is truly inspirational.

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Kerri Walsh Jennings -

The American beach volleyball player won gold at the London 2012 Games when she was five-weeks pregnant.

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Magda Julin -

The Swedish figure skater was four-months pregnant when she won gold at the 1920 Olympic Games.

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Lisa Brown-Miller -

The Team USA ice hockey player (right) was two-months pregnant when she competed at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan.

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Lisa Brown-Miller -

Reportedely, the team would each rub her belly for good luck before the games. It seemed to have worked, because they brought a gold medal home!

Getty Images

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Kateřina Emmons -

The Czech sport shooter was one-month pregnant at the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

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Kateřina Emmons -

As for her performance, she won a gold medal and a silver medal, and even set a new Olympic record. Did someone say super mom-to-be?

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Anky van Grunsven -

The Dutch equestrian won gold in the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. She was five-months pregnant.

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Kristie Moore -

The Canadian curler (far left) was just over five-months pregnant when she competed at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics. Her team won silver.

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Kerstin Szymkowiak -

The German skeleton racer, aka “The Ice Tiger,” won the silver medal at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver.

Getty Images

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Kerstin Szymkowiak -

And she did so while being eight-weeks pregnant! So part of the medal also belongs to her daughter, Nicole.

Getty Images

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Amelie Kober -

The German snowboarder (who's also a police officer) won silver at at the Turin Winter Olympic Games in 2006. Kober was two-months pregnant.

Getty Images

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Cornelia Pfohl -

The German archer was two-months pregnant when she competed in Sydney 2000. She won bronze.

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Cornelia Pfohl -

And guess what? Pfohl was expecting again at the 2004 Olympics in Athens. This time though she was seven-months pregnant!

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Khatuna Lorig -

Lorig was four-months pregnant when she competed in the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona. She won bronze.

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Khatuna Lorig -

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Nur Suryani Mohd Taibi -

The Malaysian shooter was a whopping 34-weeks pregnant when she competed at London 2012.

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Nur Suryani Mohd Taibi -

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Diana Sartor -

If you think being a skeleton racer is hard, now imagine doing it while pregnant!

Getty Images

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Diana Sartor -

The German athlete did exactly that at the Torino Winter Olympics in 2006. Sartor was two-weeks pregnant when she competed.

Getty Images

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Anna-Maria Johansson -

The Swedish handball player was on her third month of pregnancy when she participated in the London 2012 Olympics.

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Diana Reyes -

The Puerto Rican volleyball player discovered she was pregnant just a few days before she competed in Rio 2016.

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Diana Reyes -

The athlete was hospitalized following a car crash, and only then found out that she was expecting. Reyes was four-months pregnant when she participated in the Olympics.

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Martina Valcepina -

The Italian short track speed skater not only was one-month pregnant when she competed in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, but she was expecting twins!

Getty Images

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Anita Springs -

The Australian beach volleyball player was four-months pregnant when she competed at the Atlanta Olympic Games in 1996.

Getty Images

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DeAnne Hemmens -

The American sprint canoer (not pictured) was yet another Atlanta 1996 competitor expecting. Hemmens was into her second month of pregnancy when she participated in the Olympics.

Sources: (CNN) (BabyGaga) (Women's Health)

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Pregnant athletes who competed in the Olympics

Egyptian fencer Nada Hafez reveals she competed while pregnant at Paris 2024

07/08/24 | StarsInsider

LIFESTYLE Olympic games

Being an Olympic athlete is as demanding as it gets when it comes to being in top shape. Now, imagine competing at that extremely high level while expecting a baby! Not that the vast majority of athletes were at the final stages of their pregnancies, but, still, the physical and emotional changes these athletes went through certainly made the challenge all the harder.

Quite a few athletes have indeed competed at the Olympic Games while expecting, and many of them won medals! Click through this gallery and get to know them.