Samoan weightlifter Don Opeloge reigned supreme at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England after he won Samoa's first gold medal in the men's under-96 kg category while also setting a new games record.

He is the third sibling from the Opeloge family to win a medal in weightlifting in the international arena. 

Online sports news portal Inside the Games media reported that the 23-year-old Opeloge laid down a statement from the start of intent, by cleanly lifting 161 kilograms in his opening round of the snatch to set a new Commonwealth Games record.

He continued to break his own best with efforts at 166kg and 171kg as he looked on course to better the silver medal he won at Gold Coast 2018 in the under-85kg category.

"The best was left until last as Opeloge cleared 200kg and 210kg, before failing at 220kg in the clean and jerk, for a total of 381kg, another Games record," Inside the Games reported. 

"His clearance at 210kg matched the best lift of any Commonwealth lifter at that weight. It means he joins his brother Niusila and sister Ele as a champion at the Games.

"Niusila Opeloge took gold at Delhi 2010, but did serve a doping ban for two years in 2007, while Ele Opeloge claimed victory in the women's over-75kg at the same Games."

Opeloge did a victory dance on the platform after his last lift, celebrating the first gold medal for his country as Samoan athletes shouted and cheered him on while he was on stage. 

Vikas Thakur of India took the silver medal with a snatch of 155kg and a clean and jerk of 191kg for 346kg, finishing just in front of Fiji's Taniela Tuisuva Rainibogi, the bronze medallist.

England's Cyrille Tchatchet, who gained citizenship to compete after coming to the United Kingdom as a refugee, was a medal contender before being struck by injury in the clean and jerk.

Opeloge started training as an athlete in weightlifting in 2013-2014. He first participated in a Commonwealth competition at the age of 15 in Fiji. 

He won a bronze medalist for Samoa from that competition which motivated him to push harder, following the footsteps of his older siblings, Niusila and Ele Opeloge. 

While rugby is considered the most popular game in Samoa, weightlifting remains the top sport in the country as it has the highest rank of gold medals out of all the sports. 

The Opeloge family has made international headlines and had represented Samoa in different international competitions for so many years, under the supervision of the Samoa Weightlifting Coach, Tuaopepe Jerry Wallwork.