Nigeria’s first Olympics medallist, Maiyegun dies at 85

Nojim Maiyegun, the first Nigerian to win an Olympics medal when he got a light middleweight boxing bronze at the Japan 1964 Games, is dead.

According to sportsvillage square.com, Maiyegun, aged 85, died of natural causes in Vienna, Austria, where he has been living for years.

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

Maiyegun’s death came just a few days after the 60th anniversary of his feat when he won a bronze medal in boxing on August 10, 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 win-less streak at the Olympics.