She deserves better

Re: Ele Opeloge’s medal 

A big fa’amalo and congratulations to Ele Opeleoge for an awesome achievement. Congratulations too to Tuaopepe Jerry Wallwork and to the Samoa Weightlifting Federation for a job well done. And congratulations Samoa for one of your daughters, Ele Opeleoge, has made history by becoming the first female in the sport of weightlifting to win a medal at the Olympic Games from the Oceania region. Ele credited her coach for her success and her family for their unwavering support.

Ele Opeloge deserves more money than Joseph Parker. I take nothing away from Joseph Parker, as he is good at what he does just like the rest of the Samoan sports stars like him, who were born overseas. 

The problem is that it’s only in New Zealand he is known as a Samoan, but everywhere else in the world he is known as a New Zealander - unlike Opeleoge, she is known around the globe as a Samoan. The Opeleoge family used to sell taro, lu’au, tauaga or whatever they could get their hands on, to support Ele’s dream. Now she has won a Silver Medal from the Olympics for Samoa and created history and the govt is suddenly silent.

PM Tuilaepa and The Minister of Education, Sports &Culture (M.E.S.C.),

Loau Keneti Sio need to publicly acknowledge Ele Opeleoge’s achievement and the President of the Samoa Weightlifting Federation and Ele’s coach, Tuaopepe Jerry Wallwork, who used his own/family’s money to develop this sport in Samoa.

As a tax payer, I am asking this govt to pay Opeleoge some money, declare a public holiday and put on a parade for her in Apia as she deserves it. We the taxpayers owe her. She sacrificed a lot thru training, unpaid hard work and commitment for many years which has now put Samoa on the map. Joseph Parker on the other hand gets paid for every fight as he is a professional boxer. His boxing is considered as his career and he will go on to earn more millions for himself and his family.

 

Mebahel Raguel 

Samoa Observer

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