Samoa at the 2016 Summer Olympics

Samoa at the 2016 Summer Olympics
IOC code	SAM
NOC	Samoa Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee Inc.
Website	www.oceaniasport.com/samoa
in Rio de Janeiro
Competitors	8 in 5 sports
Flag bearer	Mary Opeloge [1]
Medals	Gold 0 Silver 0 Bronze 0 Total 0
Summer Olympics appearances (overview)
1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020

Samoa competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 5 to 21 August 2016. This was the nation's ninth consecutive appearance at the Summer Olympic Games, although it had previously competed in four editions under the name Western Samoa.

Samoa Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee Inc. (SASNOC) sent the nation's second-largest delegation to the Games, tying its record for the most number of athletes with Los Angeles 1984 and London 2012. A total of eight athletes, five men and three women, were selected to the Samoan squad across five different sports; all of them made their Olympic debut in Rio de Janeiro. ^[2] Among the sports represented by the athletes, Samoa marked its Olympic debut in swimming.

Four Samoan athletes were born and raised in the United States and New Zealand, having acquired a dual citizenship to compete for their parents' homeland at the Games. Among them were New Zealand-born flatwater kayaker Anne Cairns, discus thrower Alex Rose, sprinter Jeremy Dodson, and 18-year-old freestyle swimmer Brandon Schuster. ^[3] Meanwhile, weightlifter and Commonwealth Games champion Mary Opeloge (women's 75 kg) continued the tradition of her family in carrying the Samoan flag at the opening ceremony, with her older sister Ele having had the honor in 2008 and 2012. ^[4] Samoa, however, has yet to win its first ever Olympic medal.

Athletics

Main articles: Athletics at the 2016 Summer Olympics and Athletics at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Qualification

Samoan athletes have so far achieved qualifying standards in the following athletics events (up to a maximum of 3 athletes in each event): ^{[5] [6]}

Key

• Note–Ranks given for track events are within the athlete's heat only
• Q = Qualified for the next round
• q = Qualified for the next round as a fastest loser or, in field events, by position without achieving the qualifying target
• NR = National record
• N/A = Round not applicable for the event
• Bye = Athlete not required to compete in round
• NM = No mark

Track & road events

Athlete	Event	Heat		Semifinal		Final
		Result	Rank	Result	Rank	Result	Rank
Jeremy Dodson	Men's 200 m	20.51	5	Did not advance

Field events

Athlete	Event	Qualification		Final
		Distance	Position	Distance	Position
Alex Rose	Men's discus throw	57.24	29	Did not advance

Canoeing

Main articles: Canoeing at the 2016 Summer Olympics and Canoeing at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Qualification

Sprint

Samoan canoeists have qualified one boat in each of the following events through the 2016 Oceania Championships. ^[7]

Athlete	Event	Heats		Semifinals		Final
		Time	Rank	Time	Rank	Time	Rank
Anne Cairns	Women's K-1 200 m	43.652	7	Did not advance
	Women's K-1 500 m	2:01.885	7	Did not advance

Qualification Legend: FA = Qualify to final (medal); FB = Qualify to final B (non-medal)

Judo

Main articles: Judo at the 2016 Summer Olympics and Judo at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Qualification

Samoa qualified one judoka for the men's heavyweight category (+100 kg) at the Games. Derek Sua earned a continental quota spot from the Oceania region, as the highest-ranked Samoan judoka outside of direct qualifying position in the IJF World Ranking List of May 30, 2016. ^[8] Sua was eliminated in the second round by Abdullo Tangriev. ^[9]

Athlete	Event	Round of 32	Round of 16	Quarterfinals	Semifinals	Repechage	Final / BM
		Opposition Result	Opposition Result	Opposition Result	Opposition Result	Opposition Result	Opposition Result	Rank
Derek Sua	Men's +100 kg	Tangriev  (UZB) L 000–100	Did not advance

Swimming

Main article: Swimming at the 2016 Summer Olympics

Samoa has received a Universality invitation from FINA to send two swimmers (one male and one female) to the Olympics, signifying the nation's debut in the sport. ^{[10] [11] [12]}

Athlete	Event	Heat		Semifinal		Final
		Time	Rank	Time	Rank	Time	Rank
Brandon Schuster	Men's 200 m freestyle	1:57:72	46	Did not advance
Evelina Afoa	Women's 100 m backstroke	1:08.74	32	Did not advance

Weightlifting

Main articles: Weightlifting at the 2016 Summer Olympics and Weightlifting at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Qualification

Samoa has qualified one male and one female weightlifter for the Rio Olympics by virtue of a top five national finish (for men) and top four (for women), respectively, at the 2016 Oceania Championships. ^[13]

Athlete	Event	Snatch		Clean & Jerk		Total	Rank
		Result	Rank	Result	Rank
Vaipava Nevo Ioane	Men's −62 kg	120	=10	161	=6	281	8
Mary Opeloge	Women's −75 kg	100	9	118	11	218	11

References

1. "The Flagbearers for the Rio 2016 Opening Ceremony". International Olympic Committee . Retrieved 5 August 2016.
2. Keresoma, Lagi (28 July 2016). "Samoa's Olympic team warned to stay within secure boundaries". Talamua. Retrieved 3 October 2016.
3. McKay, Christine (29 March 2016). "Dannevirke: Paddler works hard at Olympic dream". The New Zealand Herald . Retrieved 3 October 2016.
4. Fanene, Deidre (6 August 2016). "Proud family tradition". Samoa Observer . Retrieved 3 October 2016.
5. "iaaf.org – Top Lists". IAAF. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
6. "IAAF Games of the XXX Olympiad – Rio 2016 Entry Standards" (PDF). IAAF . Retrieved 18 April 2015.
7. Etchells, Daniel (14 February 2016). "Australian duo dedicate victory at Oceania Canoe Sprint Championships to victim of boating accident". Inside the Games. Retrieved 18 February 2016.
8. "IJF Officially Announces Qualified Athletes for Rio 2016 Olympic Games". International Judo Federation. 23 June 2016. Archived from the original on 7 July 2016. Retrieved 24 June 2016.
9. "Derek Sua". rio2016.com. Archived from the original on 26 August 2016. Retrieved 23 August 2016.
10. "Swimming World Rankings". FINA . Retrieved 14 March 2015.
11. "Men's Final Entry List" (PDF). FINA . Retrieved 20 July 2016.
12. "Women's Final Entry List" (PDF). FINA . Retrieved 20 July 2016.
13. "Oceania event concluded in Fiji". International Weightlifting Federation. 28 May 2016. Retrieved 29 May 2016.