Boxer Cindy Ngamba guarantees 1st-ever medal for IOC Refugee Olympic Team

By Can Erozden

Cindy Winner Djankeu Ngamba, a female boxer, has become the first-ever IOC Refugee Olympic Team athlete to secure an Olympic medal on Sunday.

Ngamba, 25, beat her French opponent Davina Michel on points by a unanimous decision to qualify for the 75kg boxing semifinals at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

She is guaranteed to win at least an Olympic bronze.

On Thursday, Ngamba will face Atheyna Bylon from Panama in the semis at Paris' Roland-Garros Stadium.

"This means the world to me. I hope I can change the color of my medal in the next fight," Ngamba said.

"I want to tell the refugees around the world, keep on working hard, keep on pushing yourself and you can accomplish anything," she added.

Ngamba was born in Cameroon but raised in UK. She cannot compete for the Team Great Britain as Ngamba does not have a British passport.

The Refugee Olympic Team first appeared at the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics.