25 Aug 2016

Sport: Samoa set to win Olympic silver

From , 3:02 pm on 25 August 2016

Samoa weightlifter Ele Opeloge is set to win an Olympic silver medal after two competitors failed doping tests from the 2008 Beijing Games.

Opeloge initially finished in fourth place in the women's over 75kg division.

But a re-analysis of samples from eight years ago have found the silver medallist, Olha Korobka from Ukraine, and bronze medallist, Mariya Grabovetskaya from Kazakhstan, tested positive for banned substances.

They are among 15 weightlifters to be provisionally suspended for failing the International Olympic Committee tests and have the option of taking their case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The President of the Samoa Weightlifting Federation, Jerry Wallwork, was her coach in Beijing and spoke to Vinnie Wylie.

Ele Opeloge initially finished in fourth place in the women's over 75kg division at the 2008 Olympic Games.

Ele Opeloge initially finished in fourth place in the women's over 75kg division at the 2008 Olympic Games. Photo: AFP