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Summary
Paralympic bronze medallist Eniola Bolaji has claimed the women’s SL3 title at the 2025 British and Irish Para Badminton International. She secured the win after a thrilling victory over world No. 1 Qonitah Syakuroh, marking the biggest triumph of her career.
Paralympic bronze medallist Eniola Bolaji has won the women’s SL3 title at the 2025 British and Irish Para Badminton International, held at the Sport Wales National Centre in Cardiff on July 26, 2025.
Eniola delivered a thrilling performance to defeat top-ranked and reigning Paralympic champion Qonitah Syakuroh in a hard-fought final. Bolaji triumphed 2-1 (21-16, 16-21, 21-13) to secure the biggest international title of her career.
She started strong, taking the opening set 21-16 before Qonitah responded with a second-set win by the same scoreline. In the decider, Eniola trailed until the 13-point mark but staged a comeback to dominate the final stretch and seal the victory.
Expressing her excitement, Eniola shared a heartfelt message on her official Instagram page, thanking fans and supporters.
“The game was challenging, as I played against one of the top Para-Badminton players in the world. I stayed focused on the court, and my determination paid off.,” she wrote.
The win is particularly significant for Eniola Bolaji, who previously lost to Qonitah Syakuroh in the semi-finals of the Paris 2024 Paralympics.
Her tournament campaign included straight-set wins over Australia’s Celine Vinot (21-12, 21-18), France’s Milena Surreau (21-8, 21-18), and India’s Sanjana Kumari (21-5, 21-15). In the semi-finals, she defeated Celine again in a commanding 2-0 (21-4, 21-8) performance.
President of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN), Francis Orbih, hailed the victory as a testament to Eniola Bolaji’s hard work, resilience, and rising profile on the international stage.
