As Cindy Ngamba exited a thumping Roland Garros after a close, heartbreaking defeat in her semi-final, she was saluted by a crowd of nearly 15,000 people, many of whom rose to their feet in recognition of her success.
Despite a tenacious fightback after a one-sided first round, Ngamba was edged out of the women’s 75kg women’s division by the veteran Atheyna Bylon of Panama. But she leaves having produced one of the great stories of the 2024 Games.
As the first refugee athlete to make the Olympic boxing tournament and to qualify directly, simply to be present and fighting here was an incredible achievement. But Ngamba marched all the way to the semi-finals and won a bronze medal. She is the first member of the refugee Olympic team ever to win a medal.
Her path to success is a lesson in resilience and grit. Ngamba was born in Cameroon but 15 years ago moved to England. She learned her trade as a boxer and studied at school and university in Bolton, and grew into one of the finest fighters in the Olympic ring. Along the way, Ngamba has been arrested by the British authorities because of her status as a refugee and taken to a deportation centre; she had to digest the prospect of being deported back to Cameroon.
Ngamba was eventually released and after a long, difficult process she was granted asylum. The 25-year-old has repeatedly sought British citizenship, her applications being supported by GB Boxing, which handles her training. She has repeatedly been denied.
As she has navigated the rounds, beating Tammara Thibeault of Canada by split decision and then France’s Davina Michel, Ngamba has repeatedly spotlighted the plight of refugees. “I want to say to all the refugees all around the world and refugees that are not athletes, and mainly humans around the world, that you have to keep on working hard, keep on believing in yourself. You can achieve whatever you put your mind to,” she said this week.
Her tournament ended in a tight, frantic tussle in a battle of ample contrasts. Bylon is an extremely experienced and streetwise fighter and, at 35, she is 10 years older. She first tasted elite success a decade ago when she won gold at the 2014 world championships as a welterweight.
It was in the ring where their differences are most pronounced. From the moment the bell rang, Ngamba pounced forward, immediately looking to land her right hook and to wear her older opponent down with her relentless intensity. But at 1.79m (5ft 10in) Bylon is a tall, strong southpaw and, in the face of such pressure, she used her experience and range extremely well, calmly picking off Ngamba whenever she left herself exposed. A relatively even opening round finished with the Panama boxer landing a clean, strong left hook and surely winning it.
As Roland Garros chanted Ngamba’s name, she fought back admirably. Her fast hands and consistent right hook drew massive cheers and towards the end of the round she connected with an electrifying combination of blows. All but one scorecard awarded the second round to Ngamba.
With the battle tied and an Olympic final on the line, Bylon’s constant holding led to her receiving a one-point deduction early in the final round. Having spent the battle hanging back and choosing her moments, the Panamanian launched on to the offensive and connected with a series of blows, eventually closing out the win.
It was a bitter pill to swallow for Ngamba, who bowed to all corners of Roland Garros and then left the ring to a loud ovation. She was inconsolable and walked through the mixed media zone without stopping for interviews, but she will be back.
