The president of the Nigeria Badminton Federation, Francis Orbih, has tipped Mariam Bolaji to complete on the rostrum within the ladies’s singles SL3 of the badminton occasion of the continuing Paralympic Video games in Paris, France, PUNCH Sports activities Further stories.
Sharing his ideas on the nation’s outing on the quadrennial occasion with our correspondent at Teslim Balogun Stadium on Saturday, Orbih regretted the painful exit of Chigozie Jeremiah Nnanna following a slender defeat to Indonesia’s Fredy Setiawan within the males’s singles SL4 Group C tie on Thursday.
Bolaji outclassed Australia’s Celine Vinot 2-0 (21-8, 21-14) to progress to the following stage, whereas Nnanna suffered a 2-0 (21-12, 24-22) loss to his Indonesian opponents, with Orbih regretting the slender loss.
“The 2 gamers did very properly, however Nnanna couldn’t make it to the following stage, which he was near doing as a result of he misplaced narrowly to his opponent, with the second set ending 24-22. However Bolaji superior after beating her opponent 2-0, and I belief her to go far within the competitors and possibly make a podium end, mentioned Orbih, a council member of the Badminton Confederation Africa (BCA).
Bolaji is revved up for a podium, trying to win a medal in honour of her late coach, Bello Rafiu Oyebanji, who died in a motor accident three years in the past.
The boldness personified, who arrived in Paris because the identify to beat in ladies’s singles SL3, having gained six of her final seven tournaments, had a sound begin at her first Paralympics, beating India’s Mandeep Kaur in straight video games, and declared that she was in pursuit of a medal to dedicate to her late coach.
“That is superb; it’s one thing I’ve dreamed of,” Bolaji mentioned. “I used to be coaching for Tokyo 2020 in combined doubles, however I misplaced my coach. So, it’s an honour for me to be right here.
“I’m comfortable as a result of it’s a dream for me. It was my coach’s dream as properly; he was the one who introduced me up. I’ve to win the medal as a result of I’ve to dedicate it to him.”
Bolaji has had an exceptional run during the last yr. She gained the Uganda PB Worldwide, gained a triple crown on the Africa Championships, and signed off 2023 with a title in Dubai. This yr she continued in the identical vein, starting with a triple crown on the Egypt PB Worldwide. A shock quarterfinal loss on the World Championships was the one one she would undergo in a yr, for she bounced again with back-to-back titles in Spain.
One of many causes behind her profitable run has been her coaching stint with a membership in Spain since November final yr.
“I gained the Uganda Worldwide in 2023, so BCA (Badminton Confederation of Africa) organised a camp, and my coach in Spain was invited to the Para badminton course, and he or she invited me to Spain,” Bolaji says.
“In Nigeria I’ve to take a cab from my home to the stadium, however in Spain I simply need to stroll two minutes to the stadium. I play with skilled gamers on the membership, in order that has helped me. Typically we journey to different golf equipment to coach and play.”
Regardless of going into the Paralympics as a favorite, Bolaji reveals no signal of feeling the strain and exudes confidence.
“I’m absolutely ready, so the opening match was high-quality by me. The primary sport was very simple,” she mentioned.
“I’m very assured as a result of everybody in my class is afraid of me.” She then added after a hesitant pause, “And I’m afraid of them.”