Nigeria wins Africa’s first Paralympic medal in badminton

Nigerian teenager Mariam Eniola Bolaji on Monday became the first African player to win a medal in badminton at the Paralympic or Olympic Games.

The 18-year-old defeated Oksana Kozyna of Ukraine 21-9, 21-9 to win the bronze medal in the women’s para-badminton SL3 category, for players with moderate movement limitations on one side of the body or both legs, or missing limbs.

“I feel good,” she told RFI. “I’m happy because at least I’m going home with a medal. I’m really happy.”

On Sunday, after her semi-final defeat to Zuxian Xiao, Bolaji held up a photo of her former coach Bello Rafiu Oyebanji, who died in a car crash in 2021 while she was preparing for the Tokyo Paralympic Games.

“I dedicate the medal to him,” she said. “He’ll be proud of me because I’m going home with a medal.”

Nigerian Bolaji aims for para-badminton medal in Paris in honour of late coach

Learning from loss

Bolaji was one of the favourites to win the title in her category, but admitted she buckled under pressure during her semi-final.

“I learned a lot from the loss,” she said. “I thought about how I would play my match today, so it would be easier for me.

“I was less emotional, calmer and had much more insight into what I wanted to do.”

Xiao won 22-14, 22-20 against top-seeded Qonitah Ikhtiar Syakuroh from Indonesia.

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In the mixed doubles in the SL3/SU5 category, French duo Lukas Mazur and Justine Noel defeated Indonesian duo Siripong Teamarrom and Nipada Seansupa 21-14, 21-16 to take the bronze.

On Monday afternoon, the 25-year-old Mazur will take to the court again to defend his SL4 title against top-seeded Suhas Lalinakere Yathiraj of India.

It will be a repeat of their Paralympic confrontation three years ago at the Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Tokyo.