Cameroon-born boxer Cindy Ngamba is the latest star born out of the ongoing Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The 25-year-old secured the first-ever medal for the Olympic Refugee team after beating France’s Davina Michel in the women’s 75-kilogramme quarterfinals at North Paris Arena on Sunday, progressing to the semifinals, where she is guaranteed at least a bronze medal.
Based on the Olympics boxing rules, bronze medal bouts are not held in boxing, meaning Ngamba will receive a medal no matter the outcome of her semifinal fight against Atheyna Bibeichi Bylon of Panama at Roland Garros on Thursday, July 8.
Ngamba, who moved to the United Kingdom at the age of 11 and lives in Bolton, a town in Greater Manchester, England, was born in Cameroon. However, due to the Central African nation’s homosexual laws, she cannot return home to her place of birth.
Nevertheless, her name will forever be remembered in the history of the Olympics, as her points win over Michel guarantees her a place in the record books of these games.
“I see myself as just a human,” Ngamba said after making history.
“Me being in a boxing sport, as a female, as a black woman, as an African and as a refugee. There’s all those elements that come into place, but at the end of the day, I’m only human,” the boxer added.
Ngamba, who was introduced to the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) refugee program during the COVID-19 pandemic, is part of the 37-athlete refugee team in Paris.
According to reports, despite receiving support from GB Boxing, the sport’s governing body in the UK, with regards to her application to the home office, the fearless boxer has continuously been denied British citizenship despite securing three national titles in separate weight classes.
During the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics, Ngamba, alongside taekwondo athlete Yahya Al Ghotany, were the flagbearers for the refugee team, which was established nine years ago and made their debut at the Olympics in Rio in 2016.
The boxer still has a shot at a gold medal, but she would need to overcome Bylon in the semifinals before setting up a test against either China’s Qian Li or Australia’s Caitlin Parker, who will fight faceoff in the other semifinal bout.
