APIA, (TALAMUA ONLINE) – Samoa’s Olympics hopes now rests on the weightlifting team of Mary Opeloge 75kg (Female) and Vaipava NevoIoane – 62kg (Male).
The 18 member team was announced last Friday by the SASNOC President Patrick Fepuleai and Vice President AualiitiaFaafouina Milford who will be the Chef de mission.
Samoa has never won a medal in the Olympics and there were hopes if the Sevens team had qualified for Rio. President Patrick Fepuleai said that the Samoa Sevens team had beaten all the teams who will compete in inaugural sevens competition in Rio next month.
Hopeful eyes now turn to weightlifting, especially Mary Opeloge whose older sister EleOpeloge thinly missed out on a weightlifting medal in the last Olympics.
Team Samoa includes two track and field athletes who are both US based, two swimmers, two weightlifters and competitiors in judo and kayaking.
The Team will arrive in Rio at different times depending on the competition schedules.
“There are a few sports like Judo who will need to make their way ahead of every one else,” said Chef de Mission Aualiitia.
Team Samoa consists of the best athletes from Samoa and overseas. “We have quite a few athletes who are based overseas but their parents are Samoan. A few of them have represented Samoa during the Commonwealth and the Pacific games.”
