Samoa made a strong start at the 2026 Oceania Wrestling Championships, winning 15 medals on the opening day of competition, Friday 20 March at Tuanaimato.

The host nation collected five gold, five silver and five bronze medals in the Greco-Roman and women’s divisions, drawing cheers from the home crowd.

Coach and competitor Gaku Akazawa praised the team’s performance, saying the results were nothing short of incredible.

“Even though almost every member of the Samoan team is a beginner to the sport, they stepped onto the mat with the heart of veterans,” Akazawa said. 

“Winning 15 medals on Day 1 is a testament to their hard work and natural grit. This is a massive win for Samoan wrestling, and we are just getting started."

The championships will continue with men’s freestyle wrestling scheduled for the next day, followed by beach wrestling on Sunday, as Samoa looks to build on its early success.

"Come down and support our team," said Akazawa in a statement.