Flora Ugwunwa of Nigeria has claimed a silver medal in the Women’s Javelin F54 event at the ongoing Paralympic Games in Paris, with an impressive throw of 19.26 meters.
This marks Nigeria’s first medal in Para-Athletics at these Games, showcasing the country’s athletes’ continued excellence. At 40 years old, Flora continues her remarkable career, now boasting three consecutive Paralympic medals—two golds (Rio, Tokyo) and now a silver (Paris).
Her success follows Onyinyechi Mark’s gold medal win in Para-Powerlifting, where she shattered her World Record with a stunning 147kg lift. In another exciting development, Isau Ogunkunle secured a bronze medal for Nigeria in Para-Table Tennis on Saturday. Despite losing his semifinal match against South Korea’s Young-Gun Kim, Isau’s impressive performance ensured a podium finish, bringing Nigeria’s total medal count to five: 1 gold, 2 silver, and 2 bronze.
Earlier in the competition, Esther Nworgu earned silver in the women’s up to 41kg Para-Powerlifting event, setting two new Paralympic Records. Nigeria’s first Paralympic medal was clinched by Eniola Bolaji, who made history as the first African to win a medal in Badminton at the Olympic or Paralympic Games, defeating her Ukrainian opponent in straight sets.
The Nigerian Paralympic team’s medal-winning performances have been especially inspiring, following disappointments at the Olympic Games and the recent World U-20 Athletics Championships in Lima.
