Madias Ngake, a weightlifter now living in Nottingham, believes her Olympic medal is currently sitting in a distant drawer in Cameroon. She was awarded the bronze medal from the London 2012 Games seven years after the fact, following the disqualification of three competitors for doping violations. Because she has not returned to her home country since arriving in the UK, she has never actually held the prize.
During the 2012 Olympics, Ngake was 20 years old and faced a dire personal crisis. Upon realizing her sexuality would put her in extreme danger if she returned to Cameroon—where homosexuality is criminalized—she chose to stay in the UK to pursue a safer future. The transition was brutal, involving months of homelessness and isolation before she could secure asylum status.
For nine years, Ngake worked as an office cleaner, distancing herself from the weightlifting world. Her return to the sport was sparked by an encounter with a former coach during the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. With renewed focus, she began training again, eventually earning funding as a naturalized British athlete. Now 34, she is set to compete for Team England at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, aiming to secure a medal she can finally call her own.
Ngake, who has already earned European honors and a World Championship medal, emphasizes her gratitude toward her adopted home. She remains focused on her training and has her sights set on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, hoping to add a new trophy to her collection—one that she will be able to hold personally.
