There have been a few standout images from the 2024 Paris Olympic Games so far, and they tell an important story about breaking stereotypes and shifting gender norms. Early on, we saw Egyptian Fencer Nada Hafez making headlines for participating in the games while being seven months pregnant. Then comes Simone Biles, who knows, what it is like to be under pressure but despite that, she managed to beat all the odds! Many other names like Yusuf Dikec and Noah Lyles have also emerged for setting an example for the upcoming generations and giving an inspiration to many of today's generation.

Nada Hafez's journey

Egyptian Fencer Nada Hafez, who is 26-years-old, recently competed in her third Olympics while seven months pregnant. Hailing from Cairo, Hafez shared her unique experience on Instagram, stating, “What appears to you as two players on the podium, were actually three! It was me, my competitor, and my yet-to-come-to-our-world little baby!”

Reflecting on the challenges faced during her pregnancy, Hafez wrote, “My baby and I had our fair share of challenges, be it both physical and emotional. 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. I’m writing this post to say that pride fills my being for securing my place in the round of 16!”

Hafez won her first match in the women’s individual fencing event against USA’s Elizabeth Tartakovsky by 15-13. She then faced South Korea’s Jeon Hayoung in the round of 16 but was knocked out.

Many professional athletes who are participating in the Olympics are also parents and juggling in between parenthood with those of a professional sports career. Female athletes are breaking a lot of stigma surrounding the societal gender norms.

Simone Biles beat mental health stigmas

Simone Biles is another woman who has shown how even with a crushed mental health, you can win battles. During Tokyo 2020 Olympics, she experienced twisties. This happens when your brain stops communicating with your body. The disconnect caused her to mess up her vault performance and stumble during her balance beam dismount. This led her to withdraw from competing in the rest of the Olympics.

Citing mental health issues, Biles said that she needed to focus on herself. Little did the gymnast know that she had changed the definition of failure for women everywhere, but especially those with mental illness. Biles has often spoken in length about the pressure she felt to pretend she was fine during the games. Like Biles, many people are trauma survivors but pretend to be okay in order to fulfill what is expected out of them.

'I have asthma, dyslexia, ADD, anxiety, depression': Noah Lyles

Noah Lyles shined bright at the Paris Olympics after he won a gold medal in men's 100 metre sprint by the barest of margins of 0.005 seconds. In his very first message after the race, Noah Lyles admitted that he struggles from anxiety, depression, dyslexia, among other things. His post sent a very powerful message and inspiration to his fans.

"I have Asthma, allergies, dyslexia, ADD, anxiety, and Depression. But I will tell you that what you have does not define what you can become. Why Not You!,” wrote Noah Lyles in a very powerful post on X.

In the past as well, Noah has expressed his journey on struggles with mental health and how he used that to his advantage.

The ever-so-cool Turkish shooter Yusuf Dikec

If coolness had a face, it would be Yusuf Dikec! The 51-year-old became the most searched personality on the internet, a few hours after he won silver in 10-metre air pistol mixed team even without any special gear and a hand in pocket.

Back home after his Olympic win along with teammate Sevval Ilayda Tarhan, Dikec spoke to Turkey's Anadolu news agency about his relaxed posture that made headlines. "It was the position where I felt the most comfortable and could keep my body the most stable. Although I looked calm on the outside, there was a storm inside," he said.

While Dikec inspired many memes, he also inspired a complete generation to stay calm and composed even at the most prominent moments in life!

With just a few days into it, there is a lot more that is yet to unfold at Paris Olympics 2024 - with many inspirational figures setting trends for the generations ahead.

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