Samoa Wins 1st Olympic Medal!!

[rowan]

Well, this makes up for being robbed of a place in the Olympic 7s, to some extent, anyway. Congrats, Samoa!!

It’s official. Finally.

Ele Opeloge has claimed Samoa’s first Olympic medal, rewriting sports history in the Pacific.

This was confirmed by the President of the Samoa Weightlifting Federation and Ele’s coach, Tuaopepe Jerry Wallwork, in an email to the Weekend Observer last night.

“It’s official Ele Opeloge Wins Silver Medal at the Beijing Olympic Games 2008,” Tuaopepe wrote.

“It has been posted on the IWF website official results for Beijing 2008 Games as a result of all the re-tests.

“We now await the medal. The Samoa Weightlifting Federation together with the Oceania Weightlifting Federation and O.N.O.C are pushing for the medal to be sent at the earliest.

“This is history for Samoa and the weightlifting family. I sincerely hope that it will be given the recognition it deserves.”

Opeloge had initially finished fourth in Beijing.

But with the silver medalist retrospectively disqualified for doping, Ele has risen to second place after Kazakhstan's third-place finisher Mariya Grabovetskaya was also disqualified.

http://sobserver.ws/en/24_12_2016/local ... ficial.htm

So all 3 islands have one now - Fiji a gold in 7s, Tonga a silver in boxing, and Samoa a silver in weightlifting.

[rowan]

Ele Opeloge’s Silver Medalist arrived yesterday afternoon


It has arrived.

Ele Opeloge’s silver medal from the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games has finally arrived.

This was confirmed by a very happy President and Head Coach of the Samoa Weightlifting Federation, Tuaopepe Asiata Wallwork.

“I need to talk to the Minister of Sports, Loau Keneti Sio and the Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi,” he said. “Earlier the minister told me that the government is keen to do something so I think it’s good for the government to be involved together with S.A.S.N.O.C.

Tuaoepe said they will have to work out how the medal will be presented but it is likely that Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi will make the presentation.

“Nobody from the International Olympic Committee will be here because they sent the medal through D.H.L,” he said.

“The main thing is the medal is here now and finally we have it in the country. It is finally ours.

“Everything now is official. This is a great achievement by Samoa for Samoa.”

The medal is a brand new one.

http://sobserver.ws/en/10_02_2017/local ... rrives.htm

[rowan]

FINALLY!!

This week Opeloge was awarded a silver medal after two medal winners were exposed as drug cheats.
"I am so happy and thankful to God and the people of Samoa, supporting me," said Opeloge.
In 2008 Samoa expected her to bring home the country's first Olympic medal, so her fourth place in China was devastating.
The Ukranian silver and bronze medal athletes tested positive for banned substances, cheating Opeloge of her Olympic moment.
In Samoa last night Opeloge was presented with her Olympic silver medal.

https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/sport/o ... ts-exposed

[rowan]

Bravo!

: Samoa Observer / File)


The official presentation of Ele Opeloge’s silver medal from the 2008 Beijing Olympics is set to be a low key affair this morning – no thanks to the last minute confirmation of the government’s availability.

The medal will be presented after a parade on Beach Road.

But who will march this morning remains to be seen.

In fact as of press time last night, it could not be ascertained whether Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi or the Minister of Education, Sports and Culture, Loau Keneti Sio, will present the medal.

“I am not sure who will be presenting the medal,” said the President of the Samoa Weightlifting Federation, Tuaopepe Asiata Wallwork.

“I don’t know if it will be the Prime Minister or the Minister of Sports.”

Tuaopepe said he finally got the confirmation about this morning’s presentation after 3pm yesterday.

“We have just been informed by the Minister of Sports about this,” he said.

“So I have tried to contact all the schools that were able to help Ele but I couldn’t get a hold of them as the students have already gone home.”

Tuaopepe said he does not expect many people there.

“So for sure it will be just the Weightlifting family and Ele but whoever wants to come and join the parade please feel free to come down to the Fire Service at 8 o’clock today.

“This will be a good opportunity to finally meet the 2008 Beijing Silver Medallist in person and offer your congratulations to the hero for putting Samoa on the map.”

During the presentation, Ele will also be presented with the proceeds of the Samoa Observer’s Ele Fund.

The Editor of the Samoa Observer, Mata’afa Keni Lesa, will present Ele with a cheque of $25,009.60. This does not include $6,000 worth of in kind help from the business community.

The total value of the Samoa Observer’s Ele Fund is $31,009.60.

Ele, who initially placed fourth in Beijing in 2008, has finally received her silver medal after a review of athletes test samples in August found two athletes placed above her had both tested positive for drugs.

http://www.sobserver.ws/en/04_04_2017/l ... -today.htm

[rowan]

Happy days!

AT LONG LAST: It has taken more than eight years but Samoa’s first Olympic medallist and the first woman in the Pacific to win an Olympic medal, Ele Opeloge, has finally been presented with her medal.

The official presentation of her silver medal from the 2008 Beijing Olympics took place during a low-key ceremony in front of the government building yesterday.

The medal was presented by the Minister of Education, Sports and Culture, Loau Keneti Sio, in the presence of Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi.

Ele was honoured with a certificate from the 2012 London Olympics for finishing 5th in her competition.

It was presented by the President of S.A.S.N.O.C, Fepulea’i Patrick Fepulea’i.

At the ceremony, Ele was also presented with the proceeds of the Samoa Observer’s Ele Fund.

http://www.sobserver.ws/en/05_04_2017/l ... eloge!.htm