Lifters ready for Australian International open

By Deidre Tautua 12 March 2017, 12:00AM

12 lifters from the Samoa weightlifting Federation have been selected to represent Samoa in Australia next week in the Australian International Open.

The tournament is one of the biggest and first events for this year where 21 countries will be participating in this event including Samoa as well as the whole Pacific.

According to the President and Coach of the Samoa Weightlifting Federation Tuaopepe Asiata Wallwork their first priority for this tournament is to get qualified for the Commonwealth Games to be held in the Gold Coast in Brisbane Australia next year.

“There are 21 countries competing in this tournament including Samoa and the whole of the Pacific as well as Australia and New Zealand,” he told the Weekend Observer.

“The other main purpose of this tournament is the Commonwealth Games Qualification Tournament to get qualified for the commonwealth games next year that will be held in the Gold Coast in Brisbane Australia.”

“We had our trials last week Saturday to select a team that will represent our country in this tournament.”

“It was very successful and the lifters performances were very good and we had a lot of good lifting from both the girls and boys.”

“So we’ve selected a team of 12 people that will be competing in the Australian International Open and that’s 12 including the management and the coach.”

Tuaopepe went on to say that they wanted to take a team of 16-17 however due to the financial side they weren’t able to meet the number they wanted.

“We wanted to take a team of 16-17 however we can’t afford it because the airfares are expensive and the money is limited,” he said.

“We requested to the government for financial help and thankfully they approved it and that is how we are able to meet all the requirements needed for this tournament.”

“We want to acknowledge the government for funding our trip and for the financial help that’s been approved by the cabinet and that’s why it’s possible for us to participate in this tournament.”

He reiterated that the most important thing to get from this event is to be qualified.

“Our first priority for this tournament is to get qualified as many lifters as we can for the Commonwealth Games and the second priority is to win Gold Medals like always,” he said.

“And I think the most important part is to get qualified for the commonwealth games because if we don’t get qualified we won’t be able to make it next year to the Commonwealth Games.”

“This is one of the biggest tournament because there will be 21 countries participating in this competition and so it’s not easy because there will be people who are very good lifters that our lifters will have to compete against.”

“So we will be leaving next week Thursday and we will be back on Monday.”

“We have a very busy year because when we return from this tournament we will be preparing straight away for other tournaments throughout the year.

 

TEAM SAMOA:

WOMEN:

• Feagaiga Stowers

• Iuniara Sipaia

MEN:

• Nevo Ioane

• Don Opeloge

• Petunu Opeloge

• Siaosi Leuo

• Koliaka Petelo 

• Sanele Mao

SUPER HEAVY WEIGHT:

• Lauitiiti Lui

By Deidre Tautua 12 March 2017, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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