PARIS, August 5, 2024 – From becoming the first refugee athlete to participate in boxing at the Olympics to guaranteeing a first-ever medal – at least a bronze - for the Refugee Olympic Team, Cindy Winner Djankeu Ngamba, is surely having the time of her life in Paris.

Her victory on Sunday against France’s Davina Michel by unanimous decision (5-0) in the quarterfinals of the women’s 75kg category earned her this historic achievement that will be remembered for years to come.

MEANS THE WORLD “It means the world to me to be the first refugee team member to win a medal. I'm just human, like any other refugee. There are refugees all around the world.

“I was against a very tough opponent today. My friends supported me. I hope I can change the medal on the next fight.

For a place in the gold-medal match, Ngamba is set to fight Atheyna Bylon from Panama on Thursday, August 8 at the North Paris Arena. But she is already assured a bronze medal even if she loses. Ngamba had beaten Canadian Tammara Thibeault in the first round by a 3-2 split decision.

OVERCOMING HOME CROWD Against Michel, the Cameroon-born and UK-based Ngamba, who was one of the two flagbearers for the Refugee Olympic Team at the Opening Ceremony of the Paris Games, also had to overcome the home crowd to get the job done.

“A lot of people were not cheering for me, but I listened to my team, to my coaches, to myself. I stayed calm and composed. I'm happy that I got the job done. Hopefully, in the next one, I hope I can get the job done. Not hopefully, I will get it done.”

MORALE BOOSTER Ngamba is one of 37 refugee athletes competing in Paris and seeing some of her teammates in the arena was a real morale booster. “Some of them took the time to come and watch me. I appreciated it, from the bottom of my heart. She also had fans cheering her on as they watched the action at the Maison des Réfugiés in Paris.

The Olympic Refugee Team was created by the IOC to give displaced sportspeople the chance to compete at the highest level, with the first team taking part in the Rio Olympic Games in 2016. And at its third Olympics, the team has its first medal.

CONQUERING ADVERSITIES Ngamba, who arrived in the UK at the age of 11 after fleeing Cameroon with her brother, found solace in boxing four years later after suffering bullying at school for “her poor English, her weight and her body odour”. She won the first of three national championships in 2019. She is currently one of 70 Refugee Athlete Scholarship-holders, who are funded by the IOC’s Olympic Solidarity programme. After coming out as gay when she was 18 years old, she could be imprisoned if she returned to her home country, where homosexuality is illegal.

EYES ON TEAM GB She is looking forward to competiting for Team GB in the future. She already trains on a regular basis with the with the GB boxing team. “Team GB have always been in my corner. I feel I am a part of Team GB - but paper wise, I am not,” she told The Independent in 2023.