Boxer becomes first refugee to secure Olympic medal

In a heartwarming story, Cindy Ngamba on Sunday became the first athlete to secure an Olympic medal as part of the IOC's refugee team competing at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Ngamba guaranteed herself bronze after a dominant win over France's Davina Michel in their 75kg quarterfinal, setting up a semifinal clash against Panama's Atheyna Bylon on Thursday. A win in the next round would make Ngamba the first-ever refugee to win at least an Olympic silver medal.

"It means the world to me, to be the first ever refugee to win a medal," Ngamba told reporters, via The Guardian. "I'm just a human, just like any other refugee, athlete and refugee all around the world. But I hope I can change the medal on my next fight. I was fighting a very tough opponent today. A lot of people were not cheering for me. But I listened to my team, I listened to my coaches and I listened to my own self. I stuck to the tactics and I stayed calm and composed."

Ngamba added that she's confident about getting the "job done" Thursday and securing a higher place in the final podium. 

The 25-year-old Ngamba was born in Cameroon but moved to England in 2009 due to political unrest in her birth nation. Despite growing up in England and winning several national titles in boxing, she has been repeatedly denied citizenship even after securing the support of GB Boxing and other sporting authorities in the country. As such, she was forced to represent the IOC's refugee team and was also their flagbearer at the 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony. 

Furthermore, Ngamba is unable to return to Cameroon because she is homosexual, which remains a criminal offense in her home country. 

The Olympic medal is the latest feather in the cap of Ngamba, who earlier this year became the first refugee athlete to qualify for the Olympiad boxing event and the first in any sport to earn a place in the Games by qualification rather than selection [by the local sporting body] after winning a tourney in Italy.