Well-known Pacific weightlifter expected to be Paris Olympic medalist

As the Paris Olympics draw to a close this weekend, two Pacific Island weightlifters are expected to win medals at the Games.

They are Samoan strongman Don Opeloge and Fijian recruit Eileen Cikamatana, who hails from Australia.

Both athletes have performed exceptionally well over the past 24 months and have overcome difficult challenges along the way to qualify for the Olympics.

Samoa’s Hope

Opeloch will compete in the men’s 102kg category on Saturday night (NZ time).

He is Samoa’s hope for a medal in this tournament.

Opelouge said after arduous preparation, including qualifying for the Olympics, he was ready for the challenge.

In July, he told The Guardian that competing in the Paris Olympics was the fulfilment of a long-held dream.

This year, he was awarded the chieftaincy title “Laoli” in his home country to mark his achievements as a sportsman and to express appreciation and recognition for his contribution to sports.

The 25-year-old weightlifter said at the time that he was ready.

“This is a dream I’ve been chasing for 13 years,” Opelouge said at the time.

He qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics but did not compete due to the pandemic.

This time, he came to the French capital to immerse himself in the Olympic spirit and prepare for the competition.

He also comes from a well-known weightlifting family back home, with his family having represented Samoa in competitions.

He said he was motivated by seeing older relatives taking up the sport.

His aunt, Ele Operologe, was the first Samoan to win an Olympic medal in any sport – winning silver at the 2008 Beijing Games.

Opeloch is currently ranked eighth in the world and his best result was 386 kg in Riyadh last year.

He also won a bronze medal at the IWF Grand Prix World Cup in Doha in December.

Opelogue is a six-time Oceania champion in four weight categories. In 2017/2018, he competed in the 85kg category, in 2019 he competed in the 89kg category, in 2021 he moved up to the 96kg category, and in 2023 he moved up to the 102kg category.

At the 2024 Oceania Championships, he set Commonwealth and Oceania records in the 102kg snatch (175kg) and total (390kg).

Opeloche will face a tough challenge in her quest for a medal as she will be competing against 12 other weightlifters, including China’s Liu Huanhua, who dominated the men’s 102kg category at the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) World Cup in Thailand in April this year.

Liu, who placed fifth in the snatch with a best of 181kg, lifted 225kg in his second attempt to win gold in the clean and jerk and total, then lifted 232kg for a total of 413kg, setting new world records in both events – the first since the men’s 102kg category was established in 2018, Xinhua reported earlier this year.

Sikamatana expected to win

If Cikamatana performs well, Australian weightlifters could win the sport’s first Olympic medal in a long time.

“Competing in the Olympics is the biggest goal for every athlete,” the 24-year-old told Reuters earlier this year.

“It’s every athlete’s dream to compete in the Olympics, and to be on the podium is the biggest goal anyone can think of. That’s our goal.”

Coach Paul Coffa believes former Fiji Commonwealth Games champion Cikamatana is a medal contender.

The experienced coach, who is heading into his 10th Olympics, is convinced the Fiji-born 24-year-old has what it takes to compete against the world’s best lifters in the over-81kg category in Paris.

Kofa, 80, has been involved in Pacific weightlifting circles for 26 years.

Kefa saw something special in Erin.

“All I have in mind is gold,” Kofa said of his chances of winning.

“She’s capable. She’s tough. She’s prepared. She’s not injured. She wants the gold at all costs. We’re going to get the gold.”

She will compete in the women’s 81kg category at South Paris Arena 6 on Sunday (NZ time).

Her highest placing in a competition she has participated in was second place at the 2022 IWF World Championships in Bogota, Colombia, when she lifted a total weight of 249 kg.

But she fared better at the 2023 IWF World Championships in Riyadh, lifting 256kg and finishing third in the event.

Pacific Performance

Pacific athletes continue to participate in the Games and compete in different sports.

Mathlynn Sasser of the Marshall Islands was 10th in the women’s 59kg weightlifting. She lifted 94kg in the snatch and 115kg in the clean and jerk for a total of 209kg.

Guam’s Rena Taitingfong returned to competition today in the women’s single canoe 200m quarterfinals, finishing in 1:07.17.

Rckaela Aquino, also from Guam, fought bravely in the women’s 57kg wrestling quarterfinals. She ultimately lost 0-2. Rckaela, now a two-time Olympian, is the younger sister of Mia Aquino, who made her Olympic debut on Thursday in the women’s freestyle wrestling 53kg category.

Kevin Castleman of Papua New Guinea faced off against British taekwondo fighter Bradley Sinden, currently ranked No. 2 in the world. Castleman, competing in his first Olympic Games, faced an experienced opponent and lost 0-2.