In 2021, Mariam Bolaji’s coach, Bello Rafiu Oyebanji, died in a road accident as she was preparing for the Tokyo Paralympics.
The 18-year-old swore to press on and make Oyebanji proud by bringing a medal home in the near future.
She did. On Monday, September 02, Miriam The 18-year-old beat Oksana Kozyna from Ukraine 21-9, 21-9 to claim the para badminton bronze medal in the women’s SL3 category for players with moderate limitation of movement on one side of the body or in both legs, or missing limbs.
In so doing, Mariam simultaneously became the first player from Africa to win a medal in badminton at the Paralympic or Olympic Games.
“I feel good,” she said. “I’m happy because at least I’m going home with a medal. I’m really pleased.”
Her Spanish coach, Dina Abouzeid, was absolutely delighted, saying: “You know, I’m so proud. I’m so proud of the day I said to Mariam: ‘Let’s go for it.'”
In the aftermath of Bolaji’s win, Abouzeid was finally able to replay an 11-month coup de maître in which she has taken a promising Nigerian teenager from the turbulence of regional scuffles via a club in northern Spain to the podium at the 2024 Paris Paralympics.