Nigeria’s first Olympic medallist, Maiyegun is dead

BY KUNLE SOLAJA, ALMERE, THE NETHERLANDS

Nojim Maiyegun Nigeria’s first medallist at theOlympic Games has died this Monday. According to information gathered from multiple sources, Maiyegun, aged 85 died of natural causes in Vienna, Austria where he has been living for years.

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

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

He shared the bronze medal with Józef Grzesiak of Poland in the Light middleweight category. At the Olympics the two losers in the semifinals are traditionally awarded the bronze medal, as there is no third place bout.

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

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