Sixteen-year-old Samoan pistol and shotgun shooter Vardia Caffarelli had to be dropped as Samoa's national shooting team could have gone over its quota as the Pacific Games host country.

She would have made history as Samoa's youngest female athlete to participate in a Pacific Games, if she made it into the team.

Samoa Shooting Federation President, Francis Caffarelli, refused to comment on the issue when approached by the Samoa Observer.

Vardia is Cafarelli's daughter and the decision not to include her in the team was made known on Sunday.

In an interview with Samoa Observer, Vardia said she had always looked forward to doing Samoa proud in the competition.

In May this year the Federation took a team of 10 shooters to the Auckland Metropolitan Clay Target Club Championships, which were held from May 9-12. Vardia won a couple of medals in that competition, when she wrapped up the first day with a silver medal in the women’s single rise competition and went on to take gold in the women’s single barrel competition on the second day. 

According to Vardia, the team was supposed to have two divisions of men and women teams, but the board changed the category to general division which would have gone over the quota if she is to participate.

"The females that are now representing Samoa are older and I guess they know more of pistol and are more experienced than I am so it's cool," she said. "I'm more confident in shotgun and not in pistol because I'm new to pistol but hopefully next time, i will be part of the team again."