Bolton-based Olympic bronze medallist, Cindy Ngamba, has picked up an illustrious award after her achievements in the Paris Games this year.

Ngamba was recognised as the first refugee athlete to win an Olympic medal with the honour of HewardMills Sportswoman of the Year at this year’s Sporting Equals Awards at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, London last weekend.

The annual award ceremony celebrated the positive impact ethnically diverse athletes and organisations have had on the sports industry this year.

And the 26-year-old originally from Cameroon was honoured for her efforts alongside former Olympic 100m champion, and the most decorated British sprinter of all-time, Linford Christie, who was awarded the Sporting Equals Lifetime Achievement Award.

Ngamba began training at Bolton Lads and Girls’ Club at aged 14 and then honed her boxing talents under renowned coach Alex Matvienko at the Elite Gym in Halliwell.

She was jettisoned to national fame this summer competing for the refugee team and this award celebrates her exceptional example of overcoming adversity and winning bronze in the women’s 75kg competition in Paris.

Sporting Equals, an independent body that champions race equality in sport.

Hosted by comedian and TV personality Judi Love, the awards put a focus on both elite and grassroots sport - celebrating achievements and profiling ethnically diverse role models.

The awards also put the spotlight on the challenges that are still faced across the sport sector and the action required to tackle such issues.

As well as awarding success for elite athletes, the Sporting Equals Awards celebrate those who have had a resounding impact at a grassroots level.

And there was more success for Bolton with the Sport England Sports Project of the Year award going to The Flowhesion Foundation (Halliwell Girls Sports Hub).

The Halliwell Girls’ Sports Hub was launched this year, jointly by the Flowhesion Foundation and The Centre of Excellence to give girls in the area the opportunity to take part in a range of sports.

These have included cycling, boxing, rock climbing, swimming, with the girls already in the processing of doing an eight part “boxercise” programme and planning to start rock climbing.

Centre of Excellence chair Ahmed Patel said after launching: “We want young people in Halliwell to be active, fit and be the best version of themselves.

“We had repeated requests from the community to run these sessions and the sports hub has been a great success.”

The Centre of Excellence has been working with the Astley Street-based Flowhesion Found in running the hub.

The foundation was accredited to run the Duke of Edinburgh Award and young people who join the sports will be able to take part.

Flowhesion Foundation sports hub co-ordinator Julie Vining said: “Our Foundation sees a world where all live better, feel better and achieve more.

“The hub achieves a lot of this. We’ve had a great response.

“The girls are really enjoying the sessions and have planned lots of different sports activities they want to take part in over the year.”

At the awards, Arun Kang OBE, chief executive of Sporting Equals, said: “We are delighted to have hosted the awards in partnership with Sport England once again. It is great to bring together some of the most influential people, organisations and stakeholders in the sport and leisure industry to celebrate and raise awareness for the efforts in tackling racial inequality.

“Following a summer of social unrest in the UK, the Sporting Equals Awards come at a critical time for race inequality.

“We feel strongly that sport plays a vital role in creating change in society and bringing communities together.

“Congratulations to all the winners for their outstanding contributions to society.”

After attending the awards, Ngamba was back in Bolton to meet youngsters at Gilnow Primary School on Monday.

She spoke to the children about her Olympic experience, learning how to be a boxer and what it was like to be a young person growing up in Bolton.

Headteacher Kate Hesketh said: “Cindy was keen for the children to hear how somebody with similar life experiences to their own had achieved something so amazing.

“This was a powerful message that they took away from the visit.

“The children also loved having the chance to see her Olympic bronze medal.”