Nigeria’s first Olympic medallist, Nojim Maiyegun, died on Monday, aged 85.
The former boxer, who made history by winning a bronze medal at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, passed away in Vienna, Austria, where he resided for several years after relocating from Nigeria.
Multiple sources confirmed that Maiyegun died of natural causes after being in and out of the hospital for the past six months.
Known to have been visually impaired for several years, Maiyegun’s condition had reportedly worsened before his death.
The news of his death was verified by Stephen Ogboh, a Nigerian acquaintance living in Austria, who confirmed the sad development to Sports Village Square.
Maiyegun’s demise comes just days after the 60th anniversary of his historic feat of 10 August 1964, when he won Nigeria’s first-ever Olympic medal.
Competing in the light middleweight category, Maiyegun shared the bronze medal with Poland’s Józef Grzesiak after both boxers lost in the semifinals. At the Olympics, both semifinal losers are traditionally awarded bronze, as there is no third-place bout.
His achievement in Tokyo ended Nigeria’s 12-year medal drought at the Olympics, following the country’s first appearance at the Helsinki 1952 Games.
Maiyegun’s breakthrough performance paved the way for subsequent Nigerian successes on the global stage, as the country went on to win three silver medals and two more bronze medals in subsequent editions of the Games.
The death of the pioneering athlete is a significant loss to the Nigerian sports fraternity, as his legacy remains an enduring source of pride to the nation.
