Mariam Eniola Bolaji has secured Team Nigeria’s first medal at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, claiming bronze in the Para badminton women’s singles SL3 event.

On Monday morning, Bolaji defeated Ukraine’s Kozyna Oksana with a commanding 21-9, 21-9 victory in the bronze medal match. 

This achievement makes her the first African Para-athlete to reach the semifinals in the Para-badminton event at the 2024 Paralympics.

Bolaji dedicated her medal to her late coach, Bello Rafiu Oyebanji, who tragically passed away in a motor accident three years ago. 

“I’m happy because it’s a dream for me. It was my coach’s dream as well; he was the one who brought me up. I had to win this medal to dedicate it to him,” she said.

Bolaji has been on an exceptional run over the past year.

She claimed victory at the Uganda PB International, secured a triple crown at the Africa Championships, and ended 2023 with a title in Dubai. 

Continuing her form into 2024, she began the year with another triple crown at the Egypt PB International.

Despite a surprising quarterfinal loss at the World Championships, she rebounded with back-to-back titles in Spain.

Her historic achievement came at the Spanish Para-Badminton International 2024 Level 1 tournament in Toledo, Spain where she made history by winning gold. 

In the final, Bolaji defeated World No. 5 Mandeep Kaur of India 2-0 (21-17, 21-17) to clinch the gold medal, remaining unbeaten in two Spanish Internationals within a week.