29 Jul 2014

Sport: Samoa still hopeful for more Commonwealth medals

12:34 pm on 29 July 2014

Samoa still have high hopes of adding to their sole medal at this year's Glasgow Commonwealth Games.

Petunu Opeloge and Siaosi Leuo finished sixth and seventh in the men's 85kg class on Tuesday morning while Vanessa Lui was eighth in the women's 69kg.

Vaipava Ioane's bronze medal over the weekend is currently Samoa's sole contribution to the medals table.

Delhi gold medalists Ele Opeloge and Faavae Faauliuli will defend their weightlifting titles later in the week, while Oceania champion Mary Opeloge is a chance for gold in Wednesday's 75kg division.

The country's Chef de Mission, Aualiitia Faafouina Milford, says their lifters have come up against some stiff competition so far.

"The competition is quite tough. I can see that other countries have come well prepared. Our competitors in the latest competitions. We feel that the competition in future including Mary [Opeloge] and Ele and other competitors to come have definitely been working hard but we will wait and see".

Faafouina Milford says he's also proud of the sevens team's fourth placed finish in Glasgow.

The Manu narrowly missed out on a medal, losing the bronze playoff against Australia, and Faafouina says that is still a strong result, especially the quarter final win against England.