African record holder Mariam Eniola Bolaji is set for a highly anticipated rematch against India’s Kaur Mandeep in the quarter-finals of the Women’s Singles Standing Lower 3 (WS SL3) badminton event at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
Bolaji, the tournament’s No. 3 seed, made history as the first African to reach the quarter-finals in badminton at the Paralympic Games.
She previously defeated Mandeep 21-8, 21-14 in the group stage. The two will face off again on Sunday, for a place in the semifinals.
The winner of this match will go on to face China’s Zuxian Xiao in the semifinals, scheduled for the same day at the La Chapelle Arena in Paris.
Bolaji has dedicated her quest for a medal to her late coach, Bello Rafiu Oyebanji, who tragically passed away in a motor accident three years ago.
Oyebanji was not only a coach but also a BWF Shuttle Time Tutor and Africa’s No. 1 SL4 player.
He was instrumental in developing Para badminton in Africa, inspiring and training many young players.
Reflecting on her journey, Bolaji said, “This is amazing, it’s something I’ve dreamed of.
“I was training for Tokyo 2020 in mixed doubles, but I lost my coach. So, it is an honour for me to be here. I’m happy because it’s a dream for me. It was my coach’s dream as well; he was the one who brought me up. I have to win the medal because I have to dedicate it to him.”
Bolaji’s determination and dedication to her late coach’s memory add an emotional depth to her pursuit of Paralympic glory.
 badminton event at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.){kind=link}