Author: Kari Jackson

The highly anticipated 2024 Summer Olympics have begun, and with that comes the celebration of a highly diverse group of athletes. Within that group are members of the LGBTQ+ community. Over 150 Olympians are a part of the LGBTQ+ community and will compete this summer. With so many eyes watching these outstanding athletes, it is important to see representation within these sports. Boxing has proved to be a sport with a high representation level for the LGBTQ+ community, so today, we will highlight boxers.

Image by Michaela Walsh

31-year-old Michaela Walsh is an Irish boxer who first participated in the Olympics in 2020. Boxing runs in her genes as she and her brother Aiden both qualified for the 2020 Olympics. This made them the first brother-sister duo to box together at the Olympics. Although she hasn’t won an Olympic medal yet, she has won many impressive competitions. In the featherweight category, she won silver, and in the Commonwealth Games, she won gold. Walsh is a powerhouse athlete for Ireland and has proved her worth to athletes worldwide.

Image by Hergie Bacyadan

Hergie Bacyadan is a boxer who is competing for the Philippines. He is a trailblazer for the Olympics, as he is a trans athlete. This will be his first time in the Olympics, and he brings with him an impressive list of achievements. In 2023, he won the world championship in women’s vovinam. Vovinam is a type of Vietnamese martial art that combines aspects like boxing, judo, and wushu. Although he is trans, he will still be competing in the women’s sports. He has never taken testosterone and has been fighting for trans rights within the Olympics.

Image by Cindy Ngamba

Cindy Ngamba is a boxer who plays for England. She has already had a very impressive career and has been the national champion for three different weight classes.

She is known for fighting for equality within the Olympics. When she was eleven, she moved from Cameroon to England and became the first-ever refugee Olympian. Her journey to success has had some ups and downs due to her immigration status. She was never granted citizenship, and after winning her first national title, she was arrested and nearly deported. After that hiccup, Ngamba earned a degree in criminal justice. She also has been an advocate for members of the LGBTQ+ community, as she is also gay. In her home country of Cameroon, homosexuality is a crime that comes with a five-year prison sentence. She has been using her platform to spread the message of equality.

Image by Nesthy Petecio

Nesthy Petecio is a Filipino boxer who participated in her first Olympics in 2020. She won a silver medal and became the first Filipino woman boxer to earn a medal. She dedicated her medal to the LGBTQ+ community after publicly coming out in Tokyo. Petecio is more motivated than ever to win a gold medal this time around, as she plans to retire after the 2024 Olympics. She has been an inspiration to the LGBTQ+ community, and fans are looking forward to her performance.

Pride at the Olympics: Boxers