Paralympic bronze medalist Eniola Bolaji
Paralympic bronze medalist Eniola Bolaji triumphed at the 2025 British and Irish Para-Badminton International, held at the Sport Wales National Centre in Cardiff, Wales, securing her most significant international title to date.
Ranked world No. 2, Bolaji clinched a dramatic 2-1 victory (21-16, 16-21, 21-13) against world No. 1 and Paralympic champion Qonitah Syakuroh in the women’s SL3 final.
Bolaji dominated the first set 21-16, but Syakuroh fought back to level the match with a 21-16 win in the second. In a tense deciding set, Syakuroh took a lead at 13 points, only for Bolaji to stage a remarkable comeback from 11 points, sealing the set 21-13 to claim the championship.
Bolaji’s journey to the title began with a 2-0 (21-12, 21-18) win over Australia’s Celine Vinot in the second round. She continued her strong form, defeating world No. 10 Milena Surreau of France 2-0 (21-8, 21-18) and India’s Sanjana Kumari 2-0 (21-5, 21-15).
In the semi-finals, Bolaji overpowered Vinot again with a commanding 2-0 (21-4, 21-8) performance to advance to the final.
Francis Orbih, President of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN), hailed Bolaji’s victory as a testament to her hard work and determination, particularly after her defeat to Syakuroh in the Paris 2024 Paralympics semi-finals. “This win against the world No. 1 is a remarkable achievement,” Orbih said. “Bolaji’s progress is inspiring, and we hope she sustains this momentum for the next Paralympics.”
Orbih also commended Bolaji for elevating Nigeria and Africa’s presence in global para-badminton, with support from the BFN, Badminton Confederation Africa (BCA), and the National Sports Commission.
The tournament, which started on July 22, concluded on July 27 at the Sport Wales National Centre in Cardiff.
