The 25-year-old is the first boxer to qualify for the Refugee Olympic Teamand she is now expected to win gold, silver or bronze this weekend, after competing against France’s Davina Michel in the 75kg category.
“I want to say to refugees around the world, [including] non-athlete refugees around the world, keep working, keep believing in yourself, you can achieve anything you set your mind to,” speak Ms Ngamba, who fled Cameroon as a child, came to the UK, where she could not speak English and faced bullying.
She now has a chance to win at least a bronze medal on the Olympic podium, after a scheduled match on Thursday against Panama’s Atheyna Bylon, the winner of which will advance to the final to claim either gold or silver.
Message of hope
Ms Ngamba said her mother, aunt and some of her siblings live in Paris, which makes her Olympic dream even more special.
“For me, it means a lot to be the first refugee athlete to win a medal,” Ngamba said after Sunday’s victory. “I hope I can make a difference.” [colour of] medal in my next match. In fact, I’m going to change it.”
Regardless of the outcome and the color of her medal, her historic achievement sends a powerful message of hope to some 120 million displaced people around the world.
Filippo Grandi, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugeessent his congratulations immediately after Sunday’s match “for reaching the boxing semi-finals at Paris 2024 and for securing a medal – the first for a refugee Olympic team”.
“You make us very, very proud!” said Mr. Grandi.
Largest Refugee Olympic Team
Ms. Ngamba is one of 37 athletes competing in Paris as part of the largest refugee team evercreated by the IOC to give displaced athletes the opportunity to compete at the highest level.
She is also one of the flag bearers at the opening ceremonywith Yahya Al-Ghotany, a taekwondo athlete living in Jordan’s Azraq refugee camp.
First Refugee Team made history at the 2016 Rio Olympics, followed by a team of 29 athletes competing at Tokyo 2020.
Practice with the boys
Ms Ngamba said that after arriving in Britain as a child, she faced bullying and loneliness at school until she stumbled upon boxing at her local youth club in the northern city of Bolton, near Manchester.
Initially, there were no other girls for her to practice with and she had to spar with boys – but she soon started travelling and won the first of three national championships in 2019.
She has been training for the 2024 Paris Olympics, supported by the Olympic Refugee Fund through its Refugee Athletes Scholarship Programme, sponsored by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
‘A huge moment’
Jojo Ferris, head of the Olympic Refuge Foundation, said Ms Ngamba’s victory was a powerful statement.
“Cindy reminds us of what refugees can and have achieved, how they thrive if given the opportunity, and the positive contributions they make to communities around the world,” he said.
“This is a momentous moment for Cindy, the IOC Refugee Olympic Team and the 120 million people around the world who have been forced to flee their homes.”
