Rukayat Suleimon: Four things to know about Nigerian blind sambist who won gold at World Sambo Cup
Rukayat Suleimon has etched her name in history as the first female blind sambist to win gold at the World Sambo Cup, claiming the women’s -54kg title in Yerevan, Armenia.
Rukayat Suleimon has etched her name in history as the first female blind sambist to win gold at the World Sambo Cup, claiming the women’s -54kg title in Yerevan, Armenia.
Making her international debut, the Nigerian defeated opponents from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan to secure top position at the Gazprom Educational-Sports Complex.
She competed as part of a pioneering group of female athletes in an international blind sambo event sanctioned by the International Sambo Federation.
Key facts about her achievement:
1. She is a Lagos State judo champion, demonstrating a strong background in combat sports.
2. Alongside Rukayat Taiwo and Elizabeth Aseso, she made history as one of the first African women to compete at the World Sambo Cup.
3. Suleimon became the first African to win gold at the competition, dominating the women’s -54kg category with victories over top contenders from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan.
4. Her triumph marks a double milestone — she is the first Nigerian and African to win gold at an international sambo event, and the first female blind athlete globally to achieve such a feat in the sport.
