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Cindy Ngamba

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Cindy Ngamba
Personal information
National teamRefugee Olympic Team
Born (1998-09-07) 7 September 1998 (age 25)
Douala, Cameroon
WeightMiddleweight
Sport
SportBoxing
ClubBolton
Medal record
Women's amateur boxing
Representing  Refugee Olympic Team
Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place 2024 Paris Middleweight

Cindy Winner Djankeu Ngamba (born 7 September 1998)[1] is a Cameroonian boxer who competed for the EOC Refugee Team at the 2023 European Games. She is the first-ever medalist for the Refugee Olympic Team at the Olympics, having won bronze in women's 75 kg boxing at the 2024 Summer Olympics.[2][3][4]

Personal life

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Ngamba was born in Cameroon.[5] At the age of 11, Ngamba moved to the United Kingdom.[5] Her uncle lost Ngamba's immigration paperwork when he moved back to Cameroon.[6] Ngamba has since gained a BA (Hons) degree in Crime and Criminal Justice at the University of Bolton.[7]

In 2019,[6] Ngamba and her brother were detained whilst attending an immigration office in Bolton, and sent to a detention centre in London.[7][8] They were released the following day.[7] Aged 18, Ngamba came out as lesbian; as such, she does not want to return to Cameroon, where homosexuality is illegal.[5]

Career

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Ngamba trains with GB Boxing, although she cannot compete for Great Britain as she does not have a British passport.[5] She has won British National Amateur Championships in three different weight categories, making her the first woman to achieve the feat since Natasha Jonas.[7][5] In 2023, Ngamba won a Bocskai event in Hungary,[8] and competed in the under 75kg event[9] for the EOC Refugee Team at the 2023 European Games.[5]

She competed for the Refugee Olympic Team in the 2024 World Boxing Olympic Qualification Tournament 1[7] and qualified for the Summer Olympics in Paris, alongside her British colleague Chantelle Reid.[10] On 2 May 2024, Ngamba was officially named in the Refugee Olympic Team making her the first boxer to be selected for the team.[11] She was also chosen as one of the Refugee Olympic Team flag-bearers for the opening ceremony alongside Syrian Taekwondo athlete Yahya Al-Ghotany.[12][13]

Ngamba was drawn to fight 2022 IBA Women's World Boxing Championships gold medalist Tammara Thibeault from Canada in the first round[14][15] and won by 3:2 split decision.[16][17] She defeated 2022 World Championship bronze medalist Davina Michel of France via unanimous decision in the quarter-finals of the 2024 Paris Olympics to guarantee herself at least a bronze medal and in the process becoming the first person to win an Olympic medal for the Refugee Olympic Team.[18][19][20] She fought Atheyna Bylon from Panama in the semi-finals and lost by 4:1 split decision, therefore taking a bronze medal.[3][4]

References

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  1. ^ "Cindy Ngamba". tapology.com. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
  2. ^ "Paris 2024: Cindy Ngamba makes history as first refugee to secure Olympic medal, reaches boxing semi-finals". Olympics. 4 August 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Bolton boxer Cindy Ngamba secures place in Olympics history despite heartbreak in Paris". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
  4. ^ a b "Cindy Ngamba wins bronze for Refugee Olympic Team's first ever medal". The Independent. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d e f "Refugee boxer Cindy Ngamba has 'overcome obstacles' to pursue Team GB dreams". The Independent. 21 June 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
  6. ^ a b "Bolton boxing champion faces deportation threat". The Bolton News. 21 September 2019. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
  7. ^ a b c d e "Paris Olympics: Cindy Ngamba on fighting for British citizenship and her dream of competing at the Games". BBC Sport. 8 March 2024. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
  8. ^ a b "Cindy Ngamba's extraordinary fight to box for Britain and keep her Olympic dream alive: 'I had to go through so much'". Sky Sports. 25 February 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
  9. ^ "EOC Refugee boxer Cindy Ngamba: "If I was able to overcome those times then I can overcome any situation"". International Olympic Committee. 27 June 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
  10. ^ "Paris Olympics: GB-based boxers Patrick Brown, Chantelle Reid and Cindy Ngamba qualify for Games". BBC Sport. 11 March 2024. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  11. ^ "GB-based boxer Ngamba named in Refugee Olympic Team". BBC Sport. 2 May 2024. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
  12. ^ "Refugee boxer to be Paris 2024 Olympic flagbearer". BBC Sport. 25 July 2024. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  13. ^ "Boxer and taekwondo athlete to carry Refugee Olympic Team flag". Inside the Games. 25 July 2024. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  14. ^ "GB boxers need 'performance of life' after tough draw". BBC Sport. 25 July 2024. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  15. ^ "Olympics 2024: Lauren Price backs 'absolute machine' Cindy Ngamba and GB's Chantelle Reid for Paris success". Sky Sports. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  16. ^ "Paris 2024 Olympics: Refugee Team star Cindy Ngamba begins bid for gold with statement win - 'Not finished yet'". Eurosport. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  17. ^ "Cindy Ngamba Has a Fighting Chance at the Refugee Olympic Team's First Medal". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  18. ^ "Paris 2024: Cindy Ngamba makes history as first refugee to secure Olympic medal, reaches boxing semi-finals". olympics.com. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  19. ^ "Boxer Cindy Ngamba is the refugee team's first athlete to clinch a medal at the Paris Olympics". CBS42. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  20. ^ "Ngamba guarantees refugee team first Olympic medal". BBC Sport. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
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