Ruqqayah Mustapha, a 20-year-old student from the University of Ilorin, is overjoyed after winning a gold medal at the ongoing 11th African University Games to celebrate her Birthday.

“This is my best give ever,” Mustapha exclaimed, expressing her excitement for the achievement.

Last year, Ruqqayah missed out on the World University Games in China, but she has now made up for that disappointment with her gold medal win. “That’s in the past. I’m glad that I got another opportunity,” she said.

Ruqqayah’s journey to success has not been without its challenges, she revealed that she faced stigmatization when she first started participating in discus, a sport that is not widely popular in her hometown of Ilorin.

“Sincerely, I started for fun, it is not a popular sport. I got curious and I started enjoying it. It’s been a battle, as an indigene of Ilorin and a female at that,” She said.

Written by Mahbubat Salaudeen, Media Volunteer