For the first time in the history of Oceania weightlifting, elite athletes are being hosted in one venue with Samoa hosting the first Oceania Elite Training Camp.

These are the top-ranked lifters from their countries who have made Olympic appearances and boast Commonwealth medals.

In an interview with the Samoa Observer, the Samoa weightlifting team's coach, Tuaopepe Jerry Wallwork stressed one of the key reasons why elite weightlifters from around the region are in Apia is to learn Samoa's secret to their consistent success in weightlifting.

"The main reason why they're here is to learn why Samoa's weightlifting journey has been an ongoing success," said Tuaopepe. "They all want to learn how Samoa, who is now number one in weightlifting in the Oceania and are consistently good.

"This is the first time in history we've had an Oceania Elite Training camp for weightlifters so for this, it's unique in a way we've got all these champions here, Oceania champions, gold medalists, Commonwealth gold medalists and medalists, and some of them are world championships medalists, so they're at a very elite level.

"Most of them are on their way to the Olympics next year in Paris so for us to host it, it's great for Samoa and not only this, we're now looking at a Commonwealth Elite Training Camp not just the Oceania to be held here because of the world class facility that we have here.

"So we're looking forward to good training next week and it's helping our athletes also at the same time having a good level to pull them up. Having Paul Coffa here, one of the well-known coaches and other well-known coaches around the region working together will be a great exposure for all the lifters.

"It's the first time this camp has ever been hosted for the senior levels and if this goes well, we're going to have a camp like this every year starting from now, we're trying to promote it and make sure that everything runs well, everything looks good, the gym, providing all the assistance.

According to Tuaopepe, most of the elite weightlifters' goal at the camp is to qualify for the Paris Olympic Games and some of them like Don Opeloge, who is going for a medal next year and all athletes were using the camp as a stepping stone.

The 40 lifters from 22 countries have come with 10 international coaches from across the region who are also here for a learning experience.

They are being hosted at the Tuanaimato weightlifting gym and all lifters participating got together officially for the first time on Thursday for their first official training.

Prior to the Olympics next year, the Oceania Championships will also be held next week at the other side of the gym which is currently being set up.

One of the pioneer international coaches Paul Coffa, has been involved in weightlifting for more than 50 years as a lifter, coach and administrator. He is general secretary of both the Oceania Weightlifting Federation and the Commonwealth Weightlifting Federation.

Dika Toua, a 39-year-old Papua New Guinean lifter is also amongst the elite athletes at the camp and is proud to be back in Samoa. She was last here in 2005 and said the sport had grown so well outside of PNG.

She started weightlifting at the age of 10 and she joined Mr Coffa in 2002 when he opened up the Oceania Weightlifting Institute in Fiji. She is an athlete who has been in the sport the longest.

"I'm still going, I went to my first Olympic Games at the age of 16 in 2000 and this will be my sixth Olympic Games," she told this newspaper.

Ms. Toua hasn't won any medals at the Olympics but she won a gold and three silver medals at the Commonwealth Games and because of the delay in the antidoping test results, she missed out on another gold medal which she is still waiting for. She said she was advised that it was an administration error. 

The Papua New Guinean dynamo has won 13 Oceania titles and this will be her 14th if she wins the next one. She said it was good to be part of this program and to be amongst most of these young athletes who weren't even born when she started.

"It's good to see the sport growing in this way and we hope to see more gold medalists at the World Championships, Olympics Games, Commonwealth Games, and Pacific Games as well," Ms. Toua added.

"I won't promise that as I'm taking one step at a time, I should've retired a long time ago but I'm still going and at the moment I am focusing on the Olympic Games and crossing my fingers for the 2025 Mini Pacific Games and who knows, I might end up at the Commonwealth Games again.

"Being the president of PNG Weightlifting, I want to see more young kids come up and maybe one day, they'll replace me and I'll hang my boots."