Eniola Bolaji wins gold in Peru targets 2028 Olympics Games glory

By Amaechi Agbo

Nigeria’s Eniola Bolaji has added another international title to her growing list of achievements after winning the Women’s SL3 category at the 2026 Peru Para Badminton International.
The Paralympic bronze medallist produced a strong display on Sunday to defeat Brazil’s Kauana Beckenkamp in straight games, 21-12, 21-12, to claim the gold medal.
Bolaji, ranked world No. 2 in the SL3 category, did not give her opponents a chance throughout the competition, winning all four of her matches without dropping a game.
She opened her campaign with a 21-7, 21-6 victory over Brazil’s Maria Da Silva Abinaecia before dismantling Croatia’s Gabriela Montero 21-2, 21-1 in the second round.
The Nigerian continued her dominant run in the semi-finals, overcoming Mexico’s Maria Rojas Peres 21-6, 21-9 to book her place in the final.
Beckenkamp proved no match for Bolaji in the title decider as the Nigerian maintained her control from start to finish to secure another significant international triumph.
The victory also represents a strong response from Bolaji following her outing at the British and Irish International in June.
President of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria, Francis Orbih, praised the athlete for her resilience and consistency, describing her performance in Peru as evidence of her ability to respond positively to setbacks.
“This performance has once again proven Eniola’s consistency and her ability to overcome challenges. She has shown great character and determination to bounce back strongly,” Orbih said.
He explained that the Peru tournament forms part of Bolaji’s preparations for the 2028 Paralympic Games in Los Angeles, stressing that performances of this nature provide encouragement as Nigeria continues its long-term build-up.
“The Peru International is part of our build-up to the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games, and performances like this are very encouraging as we continue with the preparations,” he added.
Orbih also expressed appreciation to GIG Logistics, Yonex and the National Sports Commission for their support towards Bolaji’s development and international progress.
“We appreciate the immense contributions of GIG Logistics, Yonex and the National Sports Commission to Eniola’s progression. Their support has been invaluable to her development and success,” he said.
Bolaji’s latest triumph further underlines her status as one of Nigeria’s leading para-badminton athletes and provides a significant boost to the country’s preparations for the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games