Cindy Ngamba has made history at Paris 2024 as she became the first ever athlete to win an Olympic medal for the Refugee team following a stunning quarter-final victory.
Ngamba – who trains with GB Boxing and is being supported by its coaches and staff in Paris is representing the IOC Refugee Team as she does not yet have a British passport – is now guaranteed a bronze medal at least after beating the host nation’s Davina Michel via unanimous points victory.
The win for the Bolton based boxer means she will now join Great Britain’s Lewis Richardson in competing in the semi-final stages in Paris where she will now look to change the colour of her medal.
Ngamba will take on Panama’s Atheyna Bylon in the women’s middleweight semi-finals on Thursday 8th August.
The medal deciding bout was in the balance after the opening round with little to separate the two 75kg boxers.
However, Ngamba stepped the tempo up dramatically in both rounds two and three to completely dominate the 2023 European Games silver medallist, Michel, and sail through to the semi-final stages.
Ngamba said: “It means the world to me to become the first ever refugee athlete to win a medal.
I’m human, just like any other refugee around the world. To any refugee out there, athlete or not, keep believing in yourself, you can achieve whatever you put your mind to.
“I was fighting a very tough opponent today who had a lot of home support, but I listened to my coaches and stuck to the tactics, stayed calm and composed and I’m so happy I got the job done. I hope I can change the colour of my medal in my next fight
“I want to thank everyone at GB Boxing, Rob McCracken, all the coaches and support staff, as well as the Refugee Olympic team, my family and god for all being by my side every step of the way and helping me to work hard, get here and now win a medal.”
Boxing at Paris 2024 will resume on Tuesday 6th August at the new location of Stade Roland Garros with Team GB’s Lewis Richardson looking to reach the light-middleweight final as he faces Mexico’s Marco Verde Alvarez at 20:46pm UK time.
