Lesila Fiapule will represent Samoa in weightlifting in the Youth Olympic Games in Argentina next month.

This was confirmed by the president and coach of the Samoa Weightlifting Federation Tuaopepe Jerry Wallwork yesterday.

Lesila lifted a total of 225 kilos during the school competition last weekend with the total weight placing her top in the world in her weight category. 

“Before a lifter from Uzbekistan, Russia was ranked number one with a total of 224 but now Lesila was able to lift 225 she is just above by one point."

“So this is really great and I am very proud of her performance she made it and she was very outstanding in the school competition,” he said.

Tuaopepe said she has a very good chance of winning a medal at the Youth Olympic Games, even a gold medal, depending on her performance.

“Even at the school competition if she was relaxed and stable at the time she would score more but I was impressed with her performance,” he added.

Tuaopepe said the 15-year-old is a Year 12 student at Avele College and comes from a family of lifters. She is the niece of Mary and Ele Opeloge.

Lesila is scheduled to leave Samoa for the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires in Argentina in a fortnight. 

Chef de Mission Nynette Sas of the Samoa Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee (S.A.S.N.O.C.) told Samoa Observer recently that Lesila qualified through her own merits, and will join the sevens rugby team and archery and boxing athletes to the games.