Paris 2024: Best Para badminton moments
Mariam Eniola Bolaji became the first African player to win a badminton medal at either the Olympic or Paralympic Games Oksana Kozyna was treated to a surprise reunion with her former teacher France's Charles Noakes won gold on home soil at his first Paralympic Games 10 Sep 2024
The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games were packed with memorable moments, including athletic feats and historic firsts, that took place at stunning venues in front of a vocal crowd.
We will share three moments from each sport that made the Games very special.
Top moment
Mariam Eniola Bolaji became the first African player, male or female, to win a badminton medal at either the Olympic or Paralympic Games.
Bolaji took home the bronze medal by beating Ukraine’s Oksana Kozyna in the SL3 competition, etching her name into Nigerian and African history forever.
“I feel so good, so nice,” Bolaji said. “I’ve been breaking records since 2021 and I’m continuing to do that for Africans in Para badminton.
“I played very well. I really trained for it, and I’m happy that I can make my dreams come true. I wanted the gold medal, but I still thank God for making me make history.
“I hope other people in Africa will be inspired by this and come to Para badminton now.”
Biggest surprise
This came for Ukrainian SL3 player Oksana Kozyna when Svitlana Shabalaina, a teacher at the orphanage that Oksana grew up in, shocked her with her courtside presence in Paris. Svitlana had been meeting with another of her former pupils and member of the Ukrainian Para badminton team Oleksandr Chyrkov while they were both in Sweden.
They decided it would be great if Svitlana could watch them in action live at the Paralympic Games, and with the help of an American documentary film crew that is charting the players’ story, arranged for her to fly to France.
But they didn’t tell Oksana that she was coming.
“I didn’t recognise her at first and then, when I recognised her, I just couldn’t believe it,” Oksana said.
“I was so surprised and so happy to see her so that she could join us.
“Every single time when I go on to the court, when I play in this Paralympic Games, I want to show everyone that cares about me – my school, my orphanage and my teacher behind me who helped me in my life. Svitlana is one of the reasons I’m here today being part of this competition.”
Svitlana added: “There’s been a lot of emotions. I’m so, so proud of them.”
Home hero
Charles Noakes won gold for France in the SH6 category with victory in the final over Great Britain's Krysten Coombs.
Noakes won a gripping first set 21-19 and then clinched the second 21-13 to take gold at his first Paralympic Games.
A delighted Noakes said, “"This is one of the best days of my life. It is a dream come true. I started my project five years ago. It's been five years of hard work and it's just unbelievable. I'm just so proud of what I've done, it's amazing.
"I want to thank my family, friends and my coach, who did everything for me to become a champion. Thanks to him, I'm here in Paris with a gold medal.
"I think that tonight, I'm going to sleep here. It's my second home. I've enjoyed every second and every moment of it, so thank you, France, for this amazing Paralympic Games. It's been five amazing days of intense moments."
