Prospect of prison leads to Cameroon Commonwealth Games athlete wrestling with a new game

But she's just happy Chloe is safe - something that might not be the case if she did go home.

All because she was involved in a same-sex relationship, which carried a five-year prison sentence in Cameroon if found guilty.

So after the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, Alakame Anzong stayed.

Now she's running out for the Gungahlin Bulls in the Katrina Fanning Shield and not only has her sights set on making it to the booming NRLW, but Olympic glory as well.

Those rugby league plans will have to go on hold for the next two weeks.

The Queanbeyan Kangaroos have already forfeited their game against the Bulls, which was meant to be played at Freebody Oval on Saturday.

Then, Alakame Anzong's off to Wrestling Australia's national championships at Lang Park in Brisbane next weekend.

She's hoping to defend her title as the reigning Australian women's champion in the 76-kilogram division with the hopes of representing her adopted country at next year's Olympic Games in Paris.

Alakame Anzong's mother got her into martial arts when she was a kid, starting out in judo.

But she made the switch to wrestling in search of more competition and hasn't looked back - finishing second in the African championships in 2018.

It launched her onto the Commonwealth Games stage, where she represented Cameroon in the women's 68kg division on the Gold Coast in 2018, finishing fifth.

Then she faced a choice: return home and go to jail or stay and be free.

"I was facing prison because I was attracted to a girl in a same-sex relationship. Things like that are not allowed there," Alakame Anzong said.

"My daughter is there, my sisters and brothers are there - it was [either] going back for them and suffer, or staying here and being free."

That's meant she's been away from her daughter Chloe for more than five years now.

It's a heartbreakingly long time, but the 27-year-old said it was better than the fate that awaited both of them if she went home.

It's not just the LGBTQIA+ community that's persecuted in Cameroon, but it can put their families at risk too.

"It is [tough], but at least if I'm here she's safe, because if I was there she would be in danger as well because people would be judging her or using her to get to me," she said.

She might be in a new country, separated from her family, but she still has her dreams. For Alakame Anzong, that's an Olympic dream.

She'd love nothing more than to compete for her adopted country, having continued to wrestle since she arrived.

That's probably how she ended up in Canberra right? Moving here to train at the AIS's combat centre.

But no, the capital was the place to be for an asylum seeker to get her paperwork sorted as easily as possible.

Alakame Anzong claimed the Aussie national title last year, helping keep her Olympic dream alive.

Now she just has to wait for one thing - citizenship. If she gets that in time she'd love to pull on the green-and-gold in Paris next year.

"If I can be one-more-time Australian champion this year that will be a good goal for me to see myself getting into the Olympics in 2024 - if I have a citizenship before that," Alakame Anzong said.

"Hopefully by next year [I'll get it]. People say it usually doesn't take too long after you did your health test.

"Fingers crossed. I'm praying very hard for that because it would be like a dream come true because I've always wanted to be an Olympian.

"I know if I get there it will mean a lot for me, for my mum and my family - even if my mum is not alive anymore she'll be proud.

"She'll know she didn't take a bad decision putting me into martial arts."

Alakame Anzong's always dreamed of being a professional athlete. It's why she's found her way to rugby league. Albeit via rugby union.

But in a blow to union in the current wars going on between the codes, the 27-year-old didn't enjoy her time in the original rugby code.

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She preferred the high-speed bash-and-crash of league. And now she's hooked.

Given her background in wrestling it's not surprising she's found a home in the front row, where she's been starring for the Bulls this season.

The Raiders have just filled their 24-woman roster for their inaugural NRLW campaign, but they still have their development spots to announce.

She'd love to be part of the quickly expanding competition one day.

"Definitely it is because I've played for the Monaro in the country championships a few weeks ago, but sadly I got injured and I didn't finish the competition," Alakame Anzong said.

"But I'm not giving up and I'm definitely interested in the NRLW - to be an elite athlete had always been my dream."

KATRINA FANNING SHIELD

Saturday: Woden Valley Rams v Harden Worhawks at Phillip Oval, 10.30am; Tuggeranong Bushrangers v UC Stars at Seiffert Oval, 10.30am; Yass Magpies v West Belconnen Warriors at Walker Park, 11.50am; Queanbeyan Blues v Goulburn Bulldogs at Seiffert Oval, 12pm.

CANBERRA RAIDERS CUP

Saturday: Woden Valley Rams v Belconnen Sharks at Phillip Oval, 3pm; Queanbeyan Kangaroos v Gungahlin Bulls at Freebody Oval, 3pm; Queanbeyan Blues v Goulburn Bulldogs at Seiffert Oval, 3pm; Yass Magpies v West Belconnen Warriors at Walker Park, 3pm.

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