Bolaji opens a new chapter for African badminton with Paris bronze
Nigeria’s Mariam Eniola Bolaji became Africa’s first badminton medallist at either the Olympic or Paralympic Games.
Mariam Eniola Bolaji’s bronze medal in the women’s SL3 event at Paris 2024 established a landmark for Nigeria and African badminton. The IPC reported that she became the first African player, female or male, to reach the badminton podium at either the Olympic or Paralympic Games.
A continental breakthrough
Bolaji secured the medal by defeating Ukraine’s Oksana Kozyna. Speaking to the IPC after the match, she described the result as the fulfilment of years of preparation and expressed hope that her achievement would encourage other young African players.
Her route to badminton began in Para table tennis. Her late coach, Bello Rafiu Oyebanji, encouraged her to change sports, and his death in 2021 remained an important motivation in her career. The Paris result placed Bolaji’s achievement within a wider story of opportunity, coaching and representation for African athletes on the international stage.