Cameroon's Joseph Bessala Awono from Cameroon has been named Athlete of the Month for June 2026 in recognition of his impressive performances on the international SAMBO stage, highlighted by his recent African Combat SAMBO title in the men's -79kg category.
The Athlete of the Month award is proudly supported by Tissot, whose partnership recognises outstanding performances and achievements by The World Games' athletes around the world.
The award caps a remarkable 12 months for the rising star, whose journey has been defined by resilience and rapid progress. At The World Games Chengdu 2025, Bessala Awono made his debut among the world's elite, finishing fourth in both the Combat SAMBO -79kg event and the men's mixed team competition, narrowly missing out on a medal on both occasions.
Rather than allowing the disappointment to define him, the Cameroonian used the experience as motivation to improve every aspect of his performance.
"The competition brought together the eight best athletes in my weight category, and I was one of them," Bessala Awono said.
"I was convinced that I would finish on the podium, but I ended up just missing out. I was disappointed with my performance, but I came home determined to improve my technique and tactics for future fights."
Reflecting on his first appearance at The World Games, he believes the experience provided invaluable lessons about competing at the highest level.
"I learned that success at the highest level comes down to the smallest details. All elite athletes arrive well prepared; what makes the difference is each person's determination to win and how they manage the key moments during the fight."
His response to that setback has been impressive. Having already claimed silver medals at the African Championships and African Games in previous seasons, Bessala Awono reached the top of the continental podium this year by winning the African Combat SAMBO title.
"I kept my motivation," he said. "I told myself that I simply needed to go back to work and correct my mistakes. I have only been practicing SAMBO for four years, so I still have a lot of work ahead of me to become even better."
The African title, he says, is the product of years of sacrifice.
"Winning my second African Combat SAMBO title represents the reward for all the hard work, the gruelling training sessions, the defeats I have experienced, and the wise words of encouragement from my mother that kept me motivated.
I approached these African Championships with great discipline and dedication. I told myself that I was going there to become champion, and through hard work and the grace of God, we achieved that goal."
Despite his rapid rise, Bessala Awono believes he is still far from reaching his full potential.
"Together with my coaches, we are working much more on improving my technique and tactics so that I can become an even better athlete," he said. "I believe I haven't yet reached even 30% of my full potential."
Looking ahead, the Cameroonian has set ambitious goals. His immediate objective is to become a Combat SAMBO World Champion before turning his attention to qualifying for The World Games Karlsruhe 2029, where he hopes to return stronger and challenge for a place on the podium.
Beyond SAMBO, he also dreams of one day making the transition to mixed martial arts, inspired by champions such as Fedor Emelianenko, Islam Makhachev and Khabib Nurmagomedov.