Making Paralympic Games history
Ogunkunle aimed for London 2012, but his bronze medal at the 2011 African Championships in Ismailia, Egypt, fell short of the gold needed to qualify. Undeterred, he returned to the National Sports Festival in Lagos, winning gold and silver.
From 2012 to 2019, he trained without major competitions, holding fast to his belief in his potential. In 2019, he rejoined the national team and competed at the African Championships in Alexandria, Egypt. Despite losing in the semi-finals, his ranking — boosted by the COVID-19 pandemic — earned him a spot at Tokyo 2020.
Tokyo proved challenging, as he was eliminated in the group stage. Ogunkunle trained even harder, eventually qualifying for the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games, where he won bronze in Class 4.
Determined to return to the Paralympic stage, the Nigerian defeated his longtime African rival, Mohamed Sameh Eid of Egypt, at the 2023 African Championships in Giza, Egypt, becoming continental champion and securing his ticket to Paris 2024.
“I was disappointed in Tokyo, so I made sure to reclaim my dominance in Africa. Winning the continental title in 2023 was a turning point,” he said.
In Paris, Ogunkunle defied expectations. He became the only African to medal in table tennis, beating the world No. 2 in the round of 16 and eventually finishing with bronze.
The last time Nigeria medaled in the singles event was at the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games, when Tajudeen Agunbiade and Alabi Olufemi won gold and bronze, respectively.
“That win boosted my confidence. My quarter-final match was the highlight — it was against an opponent who had beaten me many times. I spent the night before strategising, while my teammates fasted for me. I was exempted from fasting as the ‘main actor.’ I cried tears of joy after winning.”