Paris 2024: Cindy Ngamba makes history by becoming first Boxing Refugee Team member to qualify for Olympics

Cindy Ngamba became the first ever Boxing Refugee Team member to qualify for the Olympics after booking a place at Paris 2024.

Ngamba, who was born in Cameroon, beat the Kazakh Valentina Khalova in the women’s 75kg weight class quarter-finals at the Road to Paris 1st World Qualification Tournament in Busto Arsizio in Italy.

Ngamba moved to the United Kingdom at the age of 11, and she is one of 70 IOC Refugee Athlete Scholarship-holders.

Four Olympic places are available in the weight category, and Ngamba is the first to make it through.

The other three will be the winners of the other quarter-finals in Busto Arsizio, and the eventual victors will not fight again in that tournament, having already secured their qualification.

Ngamba’s Olympic participation rests on her being selected for the team, but should she be selected, she would become the first ever female refugee boxer to fight at the Games.

Two refugee fighters represented the Refugee team in the last Games in Tokyo in 2021, Wessam Salamana and Eldric Sella, but they were both invited into the team, rather than qualifying for the quota.

“If it wasn’t for the Refugee Team I would have turned pro or gone on a different journey. They stuck with me and welcomed me like a big family. They love me, care for me, and support me all the way. I want to thank the refugee team for everything they’ve done for me.

“My goal for Paris 2024 is to get a gold medal – or any medal. All I have to do is work hard, mind my business, keep my mind on my job, and I will get it.”