Eniola Bolaji claims silver at 2026 British & Irish Para Badminton International
Nigeria's para badminton star Eniola Bolaji delivered another outstanding performance on the international stage, securing a silver medal at the 2026 British & Irish Para Badminton International in Dublin on Sunday, June 28.
The Paralympic bronze medallist and World Championship silver medallist finished runner-up in the women's SL3 singles event after falling 21-18, 23-21 to Japan's Shino Kawai in a fiercely contested final at the Sport Ireland National Indoor Arena.
Bolaji impressed throughout the tournament with a series of commanding victories. She opened her campaign by defeating India's Neeraj 21-15, 21-3 before overcoming France's Milena Surreau 21-19, 21-13 in the group stage.
The multiple African champion maintained her fine form in the knockout rounds, brushing aside Türkiye's Halime Yildiz 21-16, 21-7 in the quarter-finals. She then produced another dominant display to beat Australia's Celine Vinot 21-7, 21-9 and book her place in the final.
Reacting to Bolaji's achievement, President of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN), Francis Orbih, praised her consistency and resilience, describing her performance in Dublin as another remarkable milestone.
Orbih expressed confidence that Bolaji has the quality to overcome world number one Shino Kawai in future competitions, revealing that the federation is working on plans to provide her with a three-month overseas training programme to further sharpen her skills.
"It was a fantastic performance and I am very happy with what Eniola achieved. I am motivated to intensify efforts to ensure she trains outside the country because it is only a matter of time before she starts beating the Japanese player, Shino Kawai," Orbih said.
"I have congratulated her for setting the tone once again, and we are looking forward to arranging a three-month training tour abroad to further improve her game."
The BFN president also acknowledged the support of the National Sports Commission (NSC), the Badminton Confederation Africa (BCA), Yonex, and GIG Logistics for their contributions to Bolaji's continued development.
Orbih added that with sustained support and increased international exposure, the Nigerian ace is well-positioned to challenge for more major honours in upcoming global competitions.
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