Nigeria’s first Olympic medallist, Maiyegun, is dead

Nojim Maiyegun Nigeria’s first medallist at the Olympics Games died on Monday, August 26, 2024.

According to information gathered from multiple sources, Maiyegun, aged 85, died of natural causes in Vienna, Austria, where he had been living for years.

Known to be visually impaired for years, he was reportedly in and out of hospital in the past six months before his death, which was confirmed by another Nigerian, Stephen Ogboh, who is an acquaintance of Pa Nojim in Austria.

Maiyegun’s death came just a few days after the 60th anniversary of his feat of winning a bronze medal in boxing on 10 August 1964 at the Olympics in Tokyo.

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He shared the bronze medal with Józef Grzesiak of Poland in the Light middleweight category.

At the time, the two losers in the semifinals were traditionally awarded the bronze medal, as there was no third place bout.

It was the first time since Helsinki 1952 that Nigeria had won a medal.

He thus ended Nigeria’s 12-year winless streak at the Olympics.

[Sportsvillagesquare.com]