Cindy Ngamba made history Sunday by becoming the first athlete competing as a refugee to win an Olympic medal. The 25-year-old boxer from Cameroon secured at least a bronze medal after defeating France’s Davina Michel in the quarterfinals of the 75kg boxing event at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Ngamba, who represents the Refugee Olympic Team, celebrated her victory with screams and fist pumps after advancing to the semifinals. She will face Atheyna Bylon of Panama on Friday night.
“It means a lot to me to be the first refugee to win a medal,” Ngamba told reporters. “I want to say to all refugees around the world: keep working hard, keep believing in yourself.”
Ngamba, who was the flag bearer for the 37 athletes on the Refugee Olympic Team, moved to the UK when she was 11. She was granted refugee status in 2021 due to the risk of imprisonment in Cameroon for being gay. Boxing provided her an escape and a path to international competition.
Reflecting on her journey, Ngamba said, “I struggled when I first settled in the UK, going from a bubbly child in Cameroon to an introvert as I learned English and adapted to my new country. I had my family and my team by my side every day. The refugee team welcomed me with open arms.”
In her bout against Michel, Ngamba started aggressively, dodging the French boxer’s punches. Despite the boos from the crowd at the North Paris Arena, Ngamba remained focused. “I think all I heard was boos when I stepped into the ring,” she said. “The spectators were just another group of people who didn’t believe in me.”
The Refugee Olympic Team, created by the International Olympic Committee ahead of the 2016 Rio Games, allows displaced and migrant athletes to participate in the Olympics without national federations. The team has grown nearly fourfold since its inception, symbolizing inclusion, equality, and achievement for refugees and displaced people worldwide.
Filippo Grandi, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, praised Ngamba, writing on X, “You make us all very, very proud! And now, on to the gold.”
Ngamba’s victory comes amid heightened attention on women’s boxing, with fellow boxers Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan and Imane Khelif of Algeria facing online abuse. Both won their bouts over the weekend, with the IOC condemning the attacks.
As Ngamba prepares for her next match, she continues to send a message of hope to refugees worldwide. “While I have at least a bronze medal in my pocket, I am aiming for gold. I hope in the next round I will achieve it – I don’t hope. I will,” she said with a smile.
