More than a quarter million tala will be injected into Samoa's economy through the Oceania Elite Weightlifters Camp as Oceania Weightlifting Federation General Secretary Paul Coffa revealed that it cost  the sporting body AUD$150,000 (SAT$270,118) to bring everyone to Samoa.

The elite athletes are being hosted in one venue with Samoa hosting the first Oceania Elite Training Camp attracting 40 lifters from 22 countries with 10 international coaches from across the region. They are now training at the Tuanaimato weightlifting gym with their training together a first for the region. 

In an interview with the Samoa Observer, Mr Coffa said he is optimistic about the training camp and the elite athletes' knowledge and skills about the sport despite the cost of bringing them to Samoa.

"It's costing us a lot of money and it's costing money to bring everyone here and their personal coaches and the lifters so that they get better results," he said. 

"It's taken about six months to organise it and we hope we have another one prior to the Olympic Games next year, perhaps around June or July just before the Games for those who really make it.

"The Oceania Weightlifting Federation through the International Weightlifting Federation, we're getting funds and this is a big thing for us to spend so much money to bring these athletes here including their airfares, accommodation, and everything else.

"We spend a lot of money from our budget, we're not a huge federation but we feel that weightlifting gets more results in the Pacific than any other sport. All of these lifters will be competing at the Pacific Games in Honiara in two months' time so we're using this as a build-up for the Olympics and the Pacific Games."

Mr. Coffa added that he organised the training together with Jerry Wallwork and they've set up these training camps specially for those lifters who have a chance to go to Paris next year.

"We don't know yet, the selections won't be until next year but we thought it would be a great thing to have them all together here training together for about 10 days," he added. "You have here the best weightlifters in Oceania from 16 countries here today.

"It is very important, first the unity of it, coming together and training together is very important and if they improve one kilo more is worth it. It's not easy at this level to improve."

As one of the pioneer international coaches of the region, Mr. Coffa has been involved in weightlifting for more than 50 years as a lifter, coach, and administrator. He is general secretary of both the Oceania Weightlifting Federation and the Commonwealth Weightlifting Federation.