Nojim Maiyegun, Nigeria’s first Olympic medallist, has died at the age of 85, according to PUNCH Sports Extra. The former boxer, who won a bronze medal at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, passed away in Vienna, Austria, where he had lived for many years after moving from Nigeria.
Maiyegun, who had struggled with vision impairment for several years, had been in and out of the hospital for the last six months before his death, which was attributed to natural causes. The news was confirmed by Stephen Ogboh, a Nigerian resident in Austria, to Sports Village Square.
His death comes shortly after the 60th anniversary of his historic Olympic achievement on August 10, 1964, when he won Nigeria’s first-ever Olympic medal. Maiyegun secured the bronze in the light middleweight division, sharing the accolade with Poland’s Józef Grzesiak after both lost in the semifinals. Traditionally, both semifinal losers receive bronze medals in the absence of a third-place match.
Maiyegun’s accomplishment ended Nigeria’s 12-year medal drought at the Olympics, following its debut at the Helsinki 1952 Games. His success marked the beginning of Nigeria’s impressive track record in the Olympics, which included winning three silver medals and two additional bronze medals in later Games.
The loss of Maiyegun is a significant blow to Nigerian sports, but his pioneering legacy continues to inspire pride and admiration within the nation.
