Boxer Cindy Ngamba

Cindy Ngamba made history at the Paris 2024 Olympics by winning the Refugee Olympic Team's first-ever medal in women's boxing, securing a bronze in the 75kg category despite losing to Panama's Atheyna Bylon in the semi-finals by split decision. Born in Cameroon and now living in the UK, Ngamba faced significant challenges, including fears of deportation due to her sexuality. Uzbekistan's Hasanboy Dusmatov and China's Yuan Chang also claimed gold medals in their respective weight classes, defeating France’s Billal Bennama and Turkey’s Hatice Akbas. Ngamba's fight was met with boos from the crowd, who felt she had been unfairly judged, especially after Bylon received a penalty for excessive holding. Despite the disappointing result, Ngamba's achievement has solidified her place in Olympic history as a symbol of resilience for displaced athletes. The Refugee Olympic Team, competing for the first time in 2016, featured 37 athletes from over a dozen countries at these Games.