2024 Paralympics: Eniola secures Nigeria’s first medal
Honourable Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh, has congratulated Mariam Eniola Bolaji on her victory on Monday.
She earned ‘Team Nigeria’ its first medal at the ongoing Paris 2024 Paralympic Games in the Para-badminton Women’s Singles SL3 event by defeating Kozyna Oksana of Ukraine 21-9, 21-9 in the bronze medal match.
Eniola has become the first African to win a medal in Para-badminton.
Senator Enoh was on hand to encourage her and urged her to remain calm and take charge of her next game against Ukraine after she lost the semi-final match on Sunday.
The minister reminded her that she is the first African to come this far in Para-badminton and that she needed to make a mark as she played for bronze, to win for her late coach Bello Oyebanji, herself, and for the country.
Senator Enoh reiterated to all athletes at the Paralympics to be enthusiastic about victory: “You all can do it for yourselves and for the country. As a Ministry, we have made available what you need, make all of the sports-loving people of Nigeria proud of you, fly the nation’s flag very high in Paris. I believe in your capacity.
“Having done all we should as a government, we are rooting for you. It is now over to you to put smiles on the faces of Nigerians.”
This medal is the first to be won by ‘Team Nigeria’ in this season’s Olympic and Paralympic Games 2024.
The Paralympic Games are ongoing; Bolawa Akingbemisiu, Kayode Alabi, and Isau Ogunkule are set to take on their opponents in the Round of 16 table tennis on the same day.
Proofreading by Uchechi Ojo, Sub-editor at Neptune Prime.
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