SAMOA Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi will represent his country in archery at the 2019 Pacific Games after he progressed through trials.
The 74-year-old competed for Samoa at the 2007 Pacific Games, the last time the country hosted the event. He became the first prime minister to participate in an international sports competition, winning a silver medal.
“Not too many sports around the world would get the prime minister involved in the Games, which is very impressive,” said James Larven, the technical delegate for archery. “It is very rare for any country to have the Prime Minister involved.”
Archery will be held from July 9 to 12 at Faleata Sports Field in Apia, with competition taking place in compound and recurve events.
“We need to practice as often as possible to improve our shooting style,” Tuilaepa said after the trial event. “We know the techniques and we need to perfect our techniques.
“It’s the same techniques that we also used in the last Games that were held here and we believe strongly in the principle that practice makes perfect,” he said. “This is our first tournament to get our team in place and I would imagine that this will continue, so that by the time of the Games we should have a very good and strong team to represent Samoa.”
Three Samoan taekwondo athletes, meanwhile, have been named to the host nation’s squad for this year’s Pacific Games after earning their black belts.
Paul Raki, Theresa Magele and Asomua Saili have reached the top grade under the tutelage of Australian grandmaster Frank Frost.
It means they are eligible to compete at the Pacific Games, which Samoa will host in its capital Apia between July 7 and 20.
“I’m thankful that Grandmaster Frost is here to do our grading for our black belt so we can qualify for the Pacific Games, and I’m happy to complete this phase,” said 16-year-old Magele to the Samoa Observer.
The Samoan taekwondo team is now looking for high-level competition overseas to prepare them for their home Games. Insidethegames