The National Bank of Samoa continues to back the Samoa Weightlifting team as they prepare for the Commonwealth Championships and Commonwealth Games Qualification in Suva, Fiji next month.

General Manager Papalii Șam Swann confirmed their support.

"We praise God that you came home safe from travelling around the world. We congratulate you on coming back and getting ready for the next season," he said. 

"As you prepare for the next Commonwealth Games in Fiji, we like to reiterate our commitment to supporting you. Now, I know things may have not gone the way you wanted in every competition but that's competition. We understand that sometimes, you know those are learning experiences for us. And all those experiences make our team stronger.

"As a bank, we can't help you with training, but we can help with some money to help towards the costs because we know they are very expensive. So we'd like to present another $20,000 to help with your preparations. 

"Hopefully, that will go some way in helping you and your preparations for the team. I'm sure the team will do well and they'll learn the lesson from experience which will make them stronger."

President for Samoa Weightlifting Tuaopepe Jerry Wallwork said it was an honour for them to have NBS behind them in the last 12 months.

"You have surely stepped up and done that over the past 12 months. I must also mention that we wouldn't have been able to do a lot, and we've done in the last 12 months if it wasn't for the support of NBS. And we are very proud of that," he said.

Team Samoa is preparing for the upcoming Commonwealth Championship for Youth, Juniors, and Seniors as well as the Commonwealth Games qualification in Suva. 

"Three weeks exactly from today. We have a team who have also been preparing while we were at the Paris Olympics. We have a strong team of nine athletes."

The team for the upcoming tournament was also named today. Female athletes are Seine Stowers (76kg), Avatu Opeloge (81kg), and Lesila Fiapule (87+kg). 

The male athletes are Nevo Ioane (67kg), John Tafi (73kg), Jack Opeloge (96kg), Don Opeloge (102kg), Maeu NanaiLivi (109kg), and Sanele Mao (109+kg).