Nigeria’s Eniola Bolaji has made history as the first Nigerian para-athlete to win a medal at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. The 18-year-old para-badminton player clinched a bronze medal after defeating Ukrainian Oksana Kozyna in two straight sets, 21-9, 21-9, on Monday morning.
Bolaji’s journey to the podium was marked by determination and resilience. She advanced to the semifinals after a convincing victory over India’s Mandeep Kaur, winning 2-0 (21-8, 21-9) in the women’s singles SL3 quarter-finals.
However, Bolaji faced a tough challenge in the semifinals against China’s Zuxian, where she narrowly lost with scores of 21-16 and 21-17. Despite the setback, Bolaji bounced back strongly to secure the bronze medal match, bringing pride to her nation.
Bolaji had dedicated her performance to her late coach, Bello Rafiu Oyebanji, who passed away in a tragic motor accident three years ago. Before the semifinals, Bolaji expressed her determination, stating, “This is amazing; it’s something I’ve dreamed of. I was training for Tokyo 2020 in mixed doubles, but I lost my coach. So, it is an honour for me to be here.”
The young athlete credits her improvement to her training stint in Spain, where she has been practicing with professional players since November last year. “In Nigeria, I have to take a cab from my house to the stadium, but in Spain, I just have to walk two minutes to the stadium. I play with professional players at the club, so that has helped me,” she explained.
Nigeria’s hopes for more medals continue as Flora Ugwunwa prepares to compete in the final of the F54 women’s shot put later in the day, while Isau Ogunkunle and Kayode Alabi are set to participate in the round of 16 in the men’s table tennis event.
