Mariam Eniola Bolaji has made history as the first African to win a medal in para-badminton at the Paralympic Games, securing a bronze in the women’s SL3 singles category at the Paris 2024 Paralympics.
Bolaji defeated Ukraine’s Oksana Kozyna in straight sets, 2-0 (21-9, 21-9), to claim Nigeria’s first medal of the Games, ending the country’s long-standing medal drought.
Her historic journey began with a series of remarkable wins in the group stage, where she became the first African player to win a badminton match at the Paralympics. A notable victory against Australia’s Celine Aurelie Vinot helped her advance to the quarterfinals. There, Bolaji maintained her impressive form with a straight-set win over India’s Mandeep Kaur. Her only loss came against the eventual gold medalist, Zuxian Xiao of China.
Bolaji’s achievement follows her triumph at the 5th Fazza Dubai Para Badminton International in 2023, where she won the gold medal in the Women’s Singles SL3 category, cementing her status as a badminton sensation for Nigeria.
