With an explosion of fireworks, laser beams, breakdance and a thumping set by the giants of French electronica, France bid goodbye to the Paralympic Games on Sunday night with the biggest party it had ever thrown.

The feelgood summer of athletic achievement in Paris had turned crowds hoarse from so much cheering and for ever changed the nation’s attitude to sport and disability, and now Parisians were desperately sad to say goodbye to it all.

But France wanted one last frenzied night of celebration and the Stade de France stadium in Saint-Denis was transformed into a massive electronica dance party with some of the world’s top elite para athletes doing the conga around the stadium on an athletics track where days before records were being broken.

The Paris Games organisers said they wanted the Paralympics closing ceremony to “show we know how to party” – as if anyone still had any doubt that the French capital liked letting its hair down.

Jean-Michel Jarre, France’s godfather of synthesisers and stadium laser shows, headed a riotous showcase of France electro dance amid flashing light-shows, hundreds of crisscrossing laser beams and walls of flames on stage. 

The “French Touch” extravaganza culminated in the star DJ Martin Solveig playing Daft Punk’s One More Time amid a stage full of dancing para athletes, giant mascots bobbing in sequin skirts and a volley of hundreds of fireworks.

Earlier, the French Republican Guard military band had blasted out Gloria Gaynor’s I Will Survive as para athletes paraded with their countries’ flags.

In a nod to its controversial decision to introduce breakdance to the Olympics, Paris also signed off with a staggering breakdance performance by many disabled dancers that drew gasps from the para athletes watching.

The big surprise of the night – and one of the best musical performances – was the blind Malian singers Amadou and Mariam performing a stunning rendition of Serge Gainsbourg’s anthem about goodbyes, Je Suis Venu te Dire que Je M’en Vais, at the base of the ballon-borne Paralympic flame, just as it was extinguished.

Another spine-tingling moment was a new take on the French national anthem. Of all the many versions of La Marseillaise played since the Olympic Games began in July, Sunday night’s was for sure the most moving: a solo, musical rendition by the acclaimed disabled French trumpeter André Feydy.

“The most spectacular Paralympic Games ever,” said Andrew Parsons, president of the International Paralympic Committee, in conclusion to 12 heady days in Paris which saw China top the medals table, with Great Britain second and the US in third place, just as Los Angeles takes over the Olympic and Paralympic Games for 2028.

With more competing countries than ever before, a record 169 delegations, more women and more global coverage, Paris 2024 had set a new benchmark for the Paralympic Games, said Parsons. He thanked French crowds for their huge turnout and roof-raising support. “For a country famous for its fashion and food, France is now famous for its fans,” he said, to raucous screams from more than 60,000 spectators at the Stade de France.

Now it was time that “appreciation and applause must be followed by acceptance and action”, he said. It was time to break down barriers in society outside the playing field – from education to employment, government and entertainment.

For French organisers, the celebration was all the merrier given the final figures on tickets. Paris 2024 sold a record 12m tickets for the Olympics and Paralympics combined, beating the Games record previously set by London 2012.

This included 9.5m tickets sold for the Paris Olympics and 2.5m for the Paris Paralympics. In 2012, London organisers had set the record for the Paralympics, with 2.7m tickets sold, but only 8.2m were sold for the Olympics.

In keeping with the torrential downpour of rain that soaked the Olympics opening ceremony along the River Seine back in July, the skies opened for the end of the Paralympics, utterly drenching the athletes who valiantly danced to the music as flames warmed the occasion by constantly bursting into the sky from the stage.

The Guardian, UK

Great thanks to Onyinyechi Mark who apart from leading a pack of women iin the 61kg power-lifting, she set a new record in her gold medal lift.

It means that ‘Nigeria We Hail Thee’ will be rendered on the podium. This is the first time this will happen in the frame work of a global event apart from the sectional Commonwealth Games.

 ‘Nigeria We Hail Thee’ was initially the Nigeria national anthem from October 1, 1960 to the same date in 1978.  It was readopted later this year.

 In the first period it was used, Nigeria featured at the Olympic Games at Rome 1960, Tokyo 1964, Mexico 1960 and Munich 1972 as Montreal 1976 was boycotted.

 At the period, Nigeria did not win any gold medal that would have necessitated the rendering of ‘Nigeria We Hail Thee’ on the podium.

 When Nigeria first won gold medals at the Barcelona ‘92 Paralympics and then at the Atlanta ‘96 Olympics. At the time, the Nigerian National anthem was ‘Arise O Compatriot’ which was dropped earlier this year.

She lifted an impressive 150kg, securing Nigeria’s first gold medal at the Games. It is Nigeria’s first gold medal since the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralymoics.

Already the world record holder, Mark broke her record twice during the competition.

She surpassed her previous Paralympic Games and World records of 145kg and 146kg with lifts of 147kg and 150kg, respectively.

Her final lift of 150kg, achieved amidst applause from the spectators, set both a new world and a Paralympics record.

China’s Jianjin Ciu took the silver medal with a 140kg lift, while Mexico’s Amalia Vazquez Perez claimed the bronze with a 130kg lift

“I’m so proud of her because she defied all odds just to be here, especially with Bubba on the way,” said Paterson Pine. “She is due in October, I think it is. I’m so proud and impressed of how well she’s done.”

The record maker, herself was pround of her accomplishment.  “The baby’s kicking which is great – we got to the third end and I was like, ‘Not right now, mommy loves you but we’ll do kickies in a minute,” she said afterwards to paralympic.org.

“The baby hasn’t stopped, it’s like the baby is going, ‘What’s going on, it’s really loud, mommy, what are you doing?’ But it’s been like a little honuor knowing that the baby’s there and just a reminder of the little support bubble that I’ve got in my tummy,” she added.

An elated Francis Orbih, President of the Badminton Federation of Nigeria, has expressed deep gratitude to power generating company, Mikano International Limited for the unquantifiable assistance offered to the Nigerian  sports person of the moment, Eniola Mariam Bolaji who has won a bronze medal at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

 She has been the only Nigerian on the podium at the two global events in Paris.

  Bolaji this Monday morning gave the Nigerian sports community something to cheer after a prolong spate of agonising results in continental and global events.

On Court 3 of La Chapelle Arena in Paris, Mariam Eniola Bolaji beat Ukraine’s Kozyna Oksana in the contest for the bronze medal.

  The BFN promptly expressed appreciation to Mikano International Limited which offered the Parabadminton player financial and logistics assistance towards preparation for Paris 2024.

Apart from financial assistance, Mikano also gave the medallist a return ticket to Spain for her training camp and also for her  racquets, canvass, wears.

Dateline: July 8 2024, Lagos- Planting the seed that has now germinated. Mikano International Limited hosted  Mariam Eniola Bolaji to a farewell reception preparatory to the Paris 2024 Paralympics. Left to right : Kelechi Chiboka, Head of Marketing for Mikano Power; Farah Hilal, Communication Manager, Mikano International; Miriam Eniola Bolaji; Mrs. Oby Solaja,  Former African Champion and first Nigerian Badminton Olympian; Karima Okunola, Head of Marketing for Mikano Motors

Included was training allowance and provided a vehicle that took her in style to the airport when she travelled for the training and the Paralympics.

While thanking Mikano International Ltd, Orbih, the BFN also expressed thanks to federation’s other sponsors. “Certainly, without their support, we would have achieved less.”

The bronze  won by Bolaji on Monday is the first medal that Nigeria ever get since Badminton was first introduced to the Olympic Games at Barcelona ‘92 as demostration sport and becoming a scoring discipline at Atlanta ‘96.

“The path to reaching this remarkable milestone was made possible by a collective of public, private and individual efforts, in which the Badminton Confederation Africa (BCA), Federal Ministry of Sports Development, late Coach Bello Oyebanji, Dina Sarinena, States like Abia and Kaduna states, Corporate organizations like Mikano International, GIG Group and Owu Sportswear all played crucial roles and were very supportive throughout the journey”, Orbih remarked. 

Continuing, he said: “Eniola’s remarkable victory is a testament to her unwavering dedication, exceptional talent, and relentless pursuit of excellence. Her hard work and perseverance has paid off, not only for herself but for the entire Nigerian sporting community.

“The BFN extends its heartfelt congratulations to Eniola Mariam Bolaji for her outstanding performance. Her achievement is a source of inspiration for aspiring athletes across Africa and Nigeria making it a proud moment for us all.@

Mariam Eniola Bolaji who Monday morning beat Ukraine’s Kozyna Oksana in the contest for the bronze medal on Court 3 of La Chapelle Arena on the final day of the badminton event of Paris 2024 Paralympics.

Team Nigeria had struggled in vain for 18 days of the Olympics and it was only after six days of the Paralympics that a medal is won.

Bolaji overwhelmed her Ukrainian opponents, winning in two straight sets of 21-9 and 21-9. At the time of her win this Monday morning, Team Nigeria moved from no ranking to the 60th position on the medal’s table.

But the scores only tells a little of the story as Bolaji put up spirited fight as the games at certain points became too close to call. Eventually, the Chinese won 21-17, 21-16.

The Chinese will now face Syakuroh Qonitah Ikhtia of Indonasia in Monday’s gold medal match. Bolaji will face Ukraine’s Kozyna Oksana in the contest for the bronze medal as the parabadminton event of the Paris 2024 Paralympics will come to a close.

 The Nigerian sensation won 21-8 and 21-9.

Bolaji, the tournament’s No. 3 seed, made history as the first African to reach the quarter-finals in badminton at the Paralympic Games.

She previously defeated Mandeep 21-8, 21-14 in the group stage.

Bolaji, the tournament’s No. 3 seed, made history as the first African to reach the quarter-finals in badminton at the Paralympic Games.

She previously defeated Mandeep 21-8, 21-14 in the group stage. The two will face off again on Sunday,  for a place in the semifinals.

The winner of this match will go on to face China’s Zuxian Xiao in the semifinals, scheduled for the same day at the La Chapelle Arena in Paris.

Bolaji has dedicated her quest for a medal to her late coach, Bello Rafiu Oyebanji, who tragically passed away in a motor accident three years ago.

Oyebanji was not only a coach but also a BWF Shuttle Time Tutor and Africa’s No. 1 SL4 player.

He was instrumental in developing Para badminton in Africa, inspiring and training many young players.

Reflecting on her journey, Bolaji said, “This is amazing, it’s something I’ve dreamed of.

“I was training for Tokyo 2020 in mixed doubles, but I lost my coach. So, it is an honour for me to be here. I’m happy because it’s a dream for me. It was my coach’s dream as well; he was the one who brought me up. I have to win the medal because I have to dedicate it to him.”

Bolaji’s determination and dedication to her late coach’s memory add an emotional depth to her pursuit of Paralympic glory.

The eight-man squad for the singles event has been paired with their opponents for the Round of 16.

The singles matches are set to begin on Sunday, September 1, the players are optimistic despite their earlier exits in the mixed and doubles events.

In the Men’s Class 4, Isau Ogunkunle will face world No. 3 Ali Ozturk of Turkey. Debutant Bolawa Akingbemisilu will compete against Brazil’s Lucas Arabian in Class 5, while Kayode Alabi will take on Romania’s Bobi Simon in Class 6. In Class 9, Abiola Adesope will challenge France’s Lucas Didier, and Olufemi Alabi will face a tough match against China’s Hao Lian in Class 10.

Victor Farinloye, unlike his teammates who start from the Round of 16, will begin his campaign in the Round of 32 against Croatia’s Borna Zohil in Class 8.

For the Women’s Singles, Commonwealth Games medallists Christian Alabi and Faith Obazuaye will face opponents from Chile and Chinese Taipei, respectively. Alabi, a debutant, will confront Chile’s Tamara Leonelli, while Obazuaye will compete against Chinese Taipei’s Shiau-wen Tian.

Despite the challenges, African champion Ogunkunle expressed confidence in his teammates, stating, “We are aware of the task ahead and are determined to make ourselves and our country proud in Paris. It won’t be easy, but we are ready to do well and succeed here,” Ogunkunle opined.