Ten athletes from Triathlon Samoa travelled to Napier, New Zealand, for a training camp and competition. The group included eight Development Squad athletes and two national representatives, Tyreece Collins and Pitapola Ioane. Among them were two junior athletes, both aged 14. The team was led by World Triathlon-certified coaches Donna Ioane and Laumata Mulitalo, who completed their coaching course in Korea last year.
The Government of Samoa funded the trip through the Ministry of Sports and Recreation’s development funding, while Triathlon Samoa covered equipment and preparation costs. The Uso Bike Club, led by Talalelei and Meriama Taufale, provided additional technical support and hospitality.
Through the Oceania Triathlon Confederation, the athletes attended training sessions at the Triathlon NZ Junior Development Camp at Mitre 10 Sports Park in Hawke’s Bay. Oceania Triathlon President and Triathlon NZ CEO Pete de Wet facilitated the opportunity.
“When I shared with our Oceania Board that Samoa was sending a team to the Napier Triathlon Festival, Pete offered to have our athletes join in their Juniors Development Camp that was happening the same week,” said Lani Young, Secretary General for Triathlon Samoa and Vice President of the Oceania Triathlon Confederation. “It was an amazing opportunity for Samoa’s athletes.”
The Uso Bike Club ran cycling workshops during the week. On the final day, the Samoan team performed a siva as a thank-you to Triathlon NZ. De Wet said the initiative aligned with Triathlon NZ’s goal of supporting Pacific nations. “If we are already here, there’s no reason why they shouldn’t be part of it. They competed well, especially considering some had no prior experience in this format. I hope this is the start of more opportunities for collaboration.”
The team faced challenges, with several athletes affected by illness. Team captain Pitapola Ioane required emergency medical attention and was hospitalised for 24 hours. He was discharged but not cleared to compete. Another athlete, Edna Euta Levale, also withdrew due to illness. One competitor crashed during the race and was unable to finish, receiving stitches for a knee injury.
Eight athletes competed in the Napier Triathlon Festival on 23 February. Seven recorded personal bests. Tyreece Collins set a new national record in the Sprint Triathlon with a time of 1 hour 4 minutes, improving on his previous mark by nearly four minutes. The 17-year-old from Afega placed 35th out of 122 competitors. The race was a qualifier for New Zealand’s Age Group World Championship team for the event in Australia later this year, and Collins met the selection criteria for his age group. Triathlon Samoa is considering options for his participation.
“We are very thankful for the government’s support in providing this opportunity for our young athletes to compete in Napier. We also appreciate the hard work of everyone involved in preparing them for this level of training and competition, especially the coaches and parents. The athletes all improved their times, which confirms that our training programmes are on track. Even more important is the learning and skills development they have gained, which is vital for their progress,” said Alan Schwalger, President of Triathlon Samoa.
