Nigeria’s first Olympic medalist, Nojim Maiyegun, passes on at 83

Nojim Maiyegun, a trailblazer in Nigerian sports and the nation’s first-ever Olympic medalist, has passed away at the age of 83.

His passing was confirmed by a close associate, Rudolfine F Soultan, who shared the sad news in a heartfelt Facebook post on Monday.

Maiyegun, who had been battling an undisclosed illness for several months, died on Monday morning at his residence in Vienna, Austria.

Maiyegun made history at the age of 23 by securing Nigeria’s first Olympic medal, a bronze, in the light-heavyweight boxing category at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.

He gained international acclaim after defeating Great Britain’s William Robinson in just under two minutes in the second round of the competition.

Although he fell short in the semi-finals, his achievement marked a significant milestone in Nigeria’s sporting history.

In 1966, Maiyegun added another bronze medal to his collection at the Commonwealth Games in Kingston, Jamaica.

He later moved to Austria in 1971 to pursue a professional boxing career, where he fought 16 times, securing 12 victories, including 10 knockouts.