Nojim Maiyegun, Nigeria’s first medallist at the Olympic Games, has been pronounced dead.
According to information gathered from multiple sources, Maiyegun, aged 85, died of natural causes in Vienna, Austria, where he had been living for years.
Known to have been visually impaired for years, he was reportedly in and out of the hospital over the past six months before his death. This was confirmed by another Nigerian, Stephen Ogboh, who is an acquaintance of Pa Nojim in Austria.
Maiyegun’s death came just a few days after the 60th anniversary of his achievement 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 winless streak at the Olympics.
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