When Mariam Eniola Bolaji defeated Oksana Kozyna to clinch bronze within the ladies’s Para badminton SL3 on the Paris 2024 Paralympics, she created historical past not only for herself and her nation Nigeria, but in addition for a complete continent.
Why? As a result of Bolaji is now the primary African participant, male or feminine, to win a badminton medal at both the Olympic or Paralympic Video games.
It signifies that her identify shall be etched into Nigerian and African historical past without end, one thing that she now hopes will blaze a path for different younger gamers on the continent.
“I really feel so good, so good,” Bolaji mirrored, the morning after her win. “I’ve been breaking information since 2021 and I’m persevering with to do this for Africans in Para badminton.
“I performed very effectively. I actually skilled for it, and I’m blissful that I could make my goals come true. I needed the gold medal, however I nonetheless thank God for making me make historical past.”
Requested concerning the landmark bronze medal match towards Kozyna she added: “I misplaced to her in 2021 on the group stage and gained later within the closing. Since then, I’ve been capable of beat her.
“The crowds in Paris have been nice. There are solely two gamers which have come from Africa for Para badminton and everyone has been supporting me.”
Medal memorial
Initially a Para desk tennis participant, Bolaji was inspired to check out badminton by her late coach Bello Rafiu Oyebanji, who tragically died in a site visitors accident.
Oyebanji handed away in 2021 as Bolaji was getting ready for the delayed Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, and his dying has proved to be a significant inspiration for Bolaji’s profession within the following years.
“My late coach was the one which introduced me by way of, he skilled me and inspired me. The medal is devoted to him. He can be very, very blissful and can be saying ‘I’m pleased with you’.
“I began Para badminton in 2018. I used to be taking part in desk tennis and Bello launched Para badminton to me. It was a brand new sport in Nigeria and I loved it immediately.
“I’ve been fascinated by these Paralympics since Tokyo 2020. Para badminton offers us slots to return to the Paralympics, so my coach was at all times planning this for me.”
Encouraging a brand new technology
Now Bolaji is eager that her appreciable achievements encourage extra African gamers to each take up the game and likewise succeed at Paralympic degree.
She stated: “I hope different folks in Africa shall be impressed by this and are available to Para badminton now.”
Bolaji’s personal instant future will see her assist her Nigerian team-mates in different occasions over the following three days, earlier than returning dwelling.
There, she’s going to bear therapy for a troubling ankle damage that whereas painful, has not prevented her landmark feat.
She defined: “I have to take a break and have a relaxation as a result of precisely a month earlier than the Paralympics I had an ankle damage.
“I’ve been coaching and taking part in with it. Now I have to get therapy for it and are available again sturdy. It’s been very, very painful – however price it.”
By Gareth Walker for the IPC
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