Tigā Anae, 28, will become the only locally based runner to compete in this year’s full marathon — the first Sāmoan resident to do so since 2016, when two local athletes ran the Savai’i Marathon.
Originally from Faleāsi’u-Uta and Fa’a’ala Palauli, Anae was raised in Ōtara, South Auckland. He returned to Samoa over two years ago to care for family land in Faleāsi’u-Uta, where he now lives.
This Saturday’s race marks his marathon debut.
“I missed last year’s race in Savai’i — I found out too late to prepare,” he said. “This year, I saw the posts early on my socials and decided to go for it.”
A former standout cross-country runner at Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate in Ōtara, Anae has long wanted to complete a marathon. He now gets that chance, racing alongside four other full-marathon entrants. He will be the only Sāmoan on the course.
Last year, Brisbane-based Lemalu Andrew “Drew” Petelo was the only Sāmoan participant in the full event.
The 2024 course begins in Manono-Uta and finishes in front of the Government Building in Apia. Anae aims to complete the race in under five hours, starting his run at 3:00 am.
Apia – Sāmoa Events
