Samoa looking ahead to Rio Paralympics with eye on powerlifting

September 11, 2012

London, England &mdash; In an interview with Samoa's Chef de Mission at the, Julie Tuala said she hopes to get a program under way in Samoa following the London Games.

The Samoa Paralympic Committee, she explained, with assistance from the is submitting a grant request to acquire the equipment necessary for a powerlifting program in Samoa; equipment costs around 18,000 to A$20,000 used, and is specifically built for  competitors who need to be strapped down when lifting. If Samoa is successful in getting the money for the equipment, the next challenge will be finding money to cover the cost of freighting it to Samoa. Tuala and the nation's athletics coach have previously held raffles, run events at a golf club, and run bake sales to assist in covering costs for developing disability sport in the country and look to do it again if they can get the grant. The last grant the gave for the region for the equipment did not include Samoa.

According to Tuala, equipment costs are a major barrier to participation in the development of disability sport. Samoan London Paralympian Leitu Viliamu needs a new leg as she has outgrown hers. A high quality leg like the one worn by can cost upwards of 10,000 per leg. Viliamu and fellow Samoan Paralympian Milo Toleafoa only acquired real running shoes for the first time when they arrived in London.

Samoa has primarily sent athletics competitors to past Paralympics because of the cost factor.