Samoa competed at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris from 26 July to 11 August 2024. It was the nation's eleventh consecutive appearance at the Summer Olympic Games, for four of which it competed under the name Western Samoa.
Competitors The following is the list of number of competitors in the Games. SportMenWomenTotalAthletics 1 0 1Boxing 1 0 1Canoeing 1 1 2Judo 1 0 1Rugby sevens 12 0 12Sailing 1 1 2Swimming 1 1 2Weightlifting 1 1 2Wrestling 1 0 1 Total 20 4 24
Athletics
Samoan track and field athletes achieved the entry standards for Paris 2024, either by passing the direct qualifying mark (or time for track and road races) or by world ranking, in the following events (a maximum of three athletes each):
Field events
AthleteEventQualificationFinalDistancePositionDistancePositionAlex RoseMen's discus throw62.881261.8912
Boxing
Samoa entered one boxer into the Olympic tournament. Tokyo 2020 Olympian Ato Plodzicki-Faoagali secured one spot in the heavyweight division, following his gold medal win at the 2023 Pacific Games in Honiara, Solomon Islands.
On 26 July, the team's coach, Lionel Elika Fatupaito, died at the Olympic Village.
AthleteEventRound of 16QuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinalOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultRankAto Plodzicki-FaoagaliMen's 92 kgL 0–5Did not advance
Lionel Elika Fatupaito Lionel Elika Fatupaito (1964 – July 26, 2024) was a Samoan boxing coach during the Games. He coached Ato Plodzicki-Faoagali. Fatupaito died from a cardiac arrest on July 26, 2024, hours before the opening ceremony at the 2024 Summer Olympics. He was 60.
The International Boxing Association, gave their condolences to his family, friends and his colleagues. The Oceania National Olympic Committees and the Samoa Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee also expressed their sadness over Fatupaito's death. Ato Plodzicki-Faoagali said that he was saddened about Fatupaito's death in an Instagram post.
Canoeing
Sprint Samoan female canoeists qualified two boats for the Games through the result of highest rank eligible nation's, each in the men's K-1 1000 m and women's K-1 500 metres event at the 2024 Oceania Canoe Sprint Qualifier in Penrith, Australia.
AthleteEventHeatsQuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinalTimeRankTimeRankTimeRankTimeRankTuva'a CliftonMen's K-1 1000 m3:54.4963:55.2028 Did not advanceSamalulu CliftonWomen's K-1 500 m2:02.1271:59.6437 Did not advance Qualification Legend: FA = Qualify to final (medal); FB = Qualify to final B (non-medal)
Judo
Samoa qualified one judoka for the following weight class at the Games. William Tai Tin (men's lightweight, 73 kg) was qualified via continental quota based on Olympic point rankings.
AthleteEventRound of 64Round of 32Round of 16QuarterfinalsSemifinalsRepechageFinal / OppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultRankWilliam Tai TinMen's −73 kg L 10-01Did not advance
Rugby sevens
Summary TeamEventPool roundClassificationClassificationOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultRankOppositionResultOppositionResultRankSamoaMen's tournamentL 14–21L 12–28W 26–03W 42–7L 5–1010
Men's tournament
The Samoa national rugby sevens team qualified for the Olympics by securing the second place at the 2023 Oceania Sevens Championship; marking the nation's debut in this sport at the Olympics.
Team roster
Group stage
Ranking of third-placed teams
9–12th place playoff semi-final
Ninth place match
Sailing
Samoa qualified two sailors to compete at the games. Eroni Leilua qualified one boat in the men's ILCA 7 classes through the 2023 Sail Sydney in Sydney, Australia. Later, the nations receiving the allocations of Universality placed in the women's ILCA 6.
Medal race events AthleteEventRaceNet pointsFinal rank123456789101112131415M*Eroni LeiluaMen's ILCA 74241434239393140colspan=7 27442Vaimooia RipleyWomen's ILCA 6424143403839443943colspan=6 32543 M = Medal race; EL = Eliminated – did not advance into the medal race
Swimming
Samoa sent two swimmers to compete at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
AthleteEventHeatSemifinalFinalTimeRankTimeRankTimeRankJohann SticklandMen's 100 m freestyle52.9466colspan=4 Kaiya BrownWomen's 50 m freestyle28.3148Did not advance
Weightlifting
For the first time since 2016, Samoa entered two weightlifters into the Olympic competition. Don Opeloge (men's 102 kg) and Iuniarra Sipaia (women's +81 kg) secured one of the top ten slots in their respective weight divisions based on the IWF Olympic Qualification Rankings.
AthleteEventSnatchClean & JerkTotalRankResultRankResultRankDon OpelogeMen's −102 kg170———Iuniarra SipaiaWomen's +81 kg10512141924611
Wrestling
For the first time since 2000, Samoa qualified one wrestler into the Olympic competition. Gaku Akazawa qualified for the games after winning the semifinal round at the 2024 African & Oceania Olympic Qualification Tournament in Alexandria, Egypt.
Freestyle AthleteEventRound of 16QuarterfinalSemifinalRepechageFinal / OppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultRankGaku AkazawaMen's −65 kgL 10–0Did not advance14
References