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This morning, 18-year-old Eniola Bolaji achieved a historic milestone by winning a bronze medal in badminton at the ongoing 2024 Summer Paralympics in Paris. Her win marks Nigeria’s first medal of the games and makes her the first African athlete to secure a Paralympic or Olympic medal in badminton since the sport became part of the Olympics in 1992.
Eniola defeated Ukraine’s Kozyna Oksana in straight sets, 2-0 (21-9, 21-9), in the Women’s Singles SL3 category. Her path to the podium was marked by a series of groundbreaking performances, starting with her historic victories in the group stage, where she became the first African to win a badminton match at the Paralympics. Notable wins, including a crucial match against Australia’s Celine Aurelie Vinot, paved the way for her medal-winning success.
In the quarterfinals, Eniola continued to make headlines with a decisive straight-set victory over India’s Mandeep Kaur. Her only defeat came against the eventual gold medalist, Zuxian Xiao of China.
Eniola, born in Ibadan and raised in Ilorin, transitioned from a tennis career to para-badminton, driven by her late coach Bello Oyebanji, who tragically passed on in an accident.
Reflecting on her achievement, she said, “It was an incredible round-up as I secured a bronze medal for myself, my country, my supporters, and Africa at large at the 2024 Paralympics. God willing, I dedicate this achievement to my late coach, Bello Oyebanji.”
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