Nigeria’s sports community is mourning the loss of a national hero, Nojim Maiyegun, who passed away at the age of 83. Maiyegun, a pioneering figure in Nigerian sports history, was the country’s first-ever Olympic medalist, a feat he achieved at the 1964 Tokyo Games.
His passing was confirmed by close friend Rudolfine F Soultan, who shared the heartbreaking news on Facebook.
In her post, she expressed her deep sorrow, writing, “My Jimmy died. I can’t say more about this right now because it’s just horrible. The day after tomorrow, we would have been together for 17 years.”
Maiyegun’s final moments were spent in Vienna, Austria, where he had been living. Reports indicate that he had been battling an illness for several months, a fight that ultimately claimed his life.
At just 23 years old, Maiyegun made history by securing a bronze medal in the light-heavyweight boxing category at the Tokyo 1964 Olympics.
He quickly established his reputation by defeating Great Britain’s William Robinson in under two minutes during the second round. Maiyegun continued his strong performance by defeating Denmark’s Tom Bogs in the quarter-final, though he narrowly missed the gold after a tough semi-final match against France’s Joseph Gonzalez.
His achievements didn’t stop there. In 1966, Maiyegun added another bronze medal to his collection at the Commonwealth Games in Kingston, Jamaica. He later left Nigeria in 1971 to pursue a professional boxing career.
Maiyegun’s legacy as a trailblazer in Nigerian sports will forever be remembered.
His accomplishments not only brought honor to the nation but also inspired generations of athletes to aim for greatness on the global stage.
