Meet the new name in Badminton, 19-year-old Eniola Bolaji

Fast-rising para-badminton teenage star, Eniola Bolaji, has made history becoming the first African to win gold at a para-badminton international championship, with her win at the 2021 Spanish Para-Badminton International competition in Cartagena, Spain.

She came from a set down to defeat Ukraine’s Oksana Kozyna 18-21, 21-14, 21-18 in the final.

With the victory, Eniola has also qualified for the World Para-Badminton Championship in Japan in October.

“I’m very happy to have won the championship and also being the first African to achieve this feat,” Bolaji said just before going on to reveal how her coach’s death inspired her victory.

“But it was tough for me prior to the tournament in Spain. I went through a lot of difficulties when coach Oyebanji passed on in April. His death is the inspiration behind my success story today.

“My late coach, who sadly passed away in April, will always be my biggest inspiration.”

The 19-year-old also revealed that she capitalised on Kozyna’s weakness to win the final.

“I played her prior to the quarter-finals and lost 2-1, but I noticed few weaknesses and capitalised on them when we met in the final.

“I’m hopeful of winning another gold medal in Japan in October.”

Eniola’s story is one of making lemonade when life throws lemons at you and finding lessons from each loss. She is another African teenager going for gold, and we love to see it.