Samoa gives Oceania’s hopes a huge boost with opening of new IWF academy and stadium

The future of weightlifting in Oceania looks brighter than ever after a landmark event in Samoa at the weekend. More than 90 coaches, about 40 athletes, 20 national federation presidents from the Pacific region, the Samoan Prime Minister and several senior leaders from the IWF were at the grand opening of a new continental headquarters for training athletes, coaches and technical officials in Apia, Samoa’s capital.

IWF President Mohammed Jalood and Samoa’s Prime Minister Fiama Naomi Mata’afa

“This is truly a historic day for weightlifting in Oceania,” said Jerry Wallwork, who will be in charge of the new Oceania Weightlifting Institute/Academy, which is certified by the IWF. “We are proud, we are united, we are strong.  

“This Institute will play a major role in Oceania weightlifters winning medals at the Olympic Games, the Commonwealth Games, World Championships at senior, junior and youth levels, and many other international events. We will bring the whole continent together. Our vision is firmly focused on success.”

Opening the new IWF Academy

The new weightlifting hub will host training camps – the first began on Monday – as well as being a centre for educating coaches and technical officials up to IWF standards. It will also host major international competitions in future, Wallwork hopes.

There were sessions on coaching and officiating in Apia on Sunday, the latter conducted by the IWF technical committee chair Sam Coffa.

IWF President Mohammed Jalood awarding a Certificate to Jerry Wallwork

The Institute/Academy has 50 platforms, rooms for 50 people to stay for training camps, accommodation for four full-time coaches and their families – with room for more from other nations – and a purpose-built weightlifting stadium that holds 3,000 spectators.

Support from the project has come from the IWF, the Samoan government and National Olympic Committee, the Bank of Samoa and other sponsors. The IOC is involved too: when athletes from across the Pacific region base themselves at the Institute/Academy, they will be funded by Olympic Solidarity payments.

Prime Minister Fiama Naomi Mata’afa, was among the speakers at the opening ceremony, as was the IWF President Mohammed Jalood, who later presented certificates to the 92 Oceania coaches who have gained IWF accreditation.

Jalood said the stadium was “one of the best in the world”, thanked the Samoan government for their high level of support, and thanked the Oceania Federation general secretary Paul Coffa, who set up the original Oceania Institute 23 years ago to serve as a hub for athletes from a range of nations. After moving around the Pacific – Fiji, Nauru, New Caledonia – it was forced to close during the Covid pandemic in 2020. Jalood also praised the Oceania federations for their remarkable record of having no doping violations in 18 years.

Marcus Stephen, Jose Quinones and Khaled Mehalhel, presidents of the Oceania, Pan American and African federations, were at the opening ceremony alongside Jalood and Sam Coffa. Asia was represented by AWF general secretary Mohammed Alharbi and board member Eshaq Ebrahim Eshaq.

Eventually, the IWF plans to have five academies across the world, one for each continental federation.

The last time an Oceania lifter won a medal at the Olympic Games was in 2008, when Ele Opeloge took super-heavyweight silver for Samoa. Eileen Cikamatana was fourth in Paris this year for Australia, and will be trying to improve on that in Los Angeles in 2028.

Two athletes who are 10 years younger than Cikamatana are among Oceania’s big hopes for the future. Both are entered – as are more than 30 others from Oceania – for the World Youth and Junior Championships in Lima, Peru, which run from April 30 to May 6.

Femily Notte from Nauru, second at the 2024 World Youths, is favourite for gold this time at 64kg.

Nehemiah Elder from Fiji will also be going for gold. Elder is one of 98 youth entries across 10 male weight categories who were born in 2009. None of the others, including the super-heavyweights, has a higher entry total than Elder’s 320kg at 89kg.

“We’re definitely going to win more medals in future, starting in Lima and at the Commonwealth Games in 2026,” said Paul Coffa. “This new Institute is world class, it’s a really big step.

“We will be aiming to hold major international competitions in Samoa. We have the facilities and the IWF has been here to see it for themselves. Oceania’s time has come.”

By Brian Oliver