Nigeria eyes bronze in paralympic badminton after semifinal loss

Nigeria’s pursuit of a medal at the Paris 2024 Paralympics Games remains intact, despite Mariam Bolaji’s semifinal defeat to China’s Zuxian Xiao in the Sunday women’s SL3 badminton event.

Bolaji will now aim for the bronze medal in a crucial match scheduled for Monday, where she will face Ukraine’s Oksana Kozyna. This match offers a significant opportunity for Nigeria to secure a place on the podium, with Bolaji determined to make her mark.

Topnaija recalled that reported that Bolaji had earlier secured an impressive quarterfinal victory against Kaur Mandeep, winning in straight sets, 21-8 and 21-9.

However, in the Paris 2024 Paralympics semifinals, Xiao edged out Bolaji with a 21-16 win in the first set, followed by a narrow 21-17 victory in the second set.

In a historic achievement, Bolaji and her compatriot, Chigozie Nnanna, have become the first African players to win a match at the Paralympic Games, marking a significant milestone for the continent.