# Ele Opeloge > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Ele_Opeloge > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Ele_Opeloge.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ele_Opeloge > Source revision: 1308777967 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Samoan weightlifter (born 1985)}} {{Infobox sportsperson | headercolor = lightgreen | image = | image_size = | caption = | birth_name = | fullname = | nickname = | nationality = | residence = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1985|7|11}} | birth_place = [Apia](/source/Apia), Samoa | height ={{height|m=1.75}} | weight ={{convert|124|kg|lb|abbr=on}} | website = | country = {{flagcountry|Samoa}} | sport = [Weightlifting](/source/Olympic_weightlifting) | event = Women's +75 kg | collegeteam = | universityteam = | club = | team = | turnedpro = | partner = | former_partner = | coach = | retired = | coaching = | worlds = | regionals = | nationals = | olympics = | highestranking = | pb = | medaltemplates = {{MedalSport | Women's [Weightlifting](/source/Olympic_weightlifting)}} {{MedalCountry | {{SAM}} }} {{MedalCompetition|[Olympic Games](/source/Olympic_Games)}} {{MedalSilver| [2008 Beijing](/source/2008_Summer_Olympics) | [+75 kg](/source/Weightlifting_at_the_2008_Summer_Olympics_%E2%80%93_Women's_%2B75_kg)}} {{MedalCompetition|Oceania Weightlifting Championships}} {{MedalGold | 2007 Apia | +75 kg}} {{MedalGold | 2008 Auckland | +75 kg}} {{MedalSilver | 2006 Apia | +75 kg}} {{MedalCompetition|[Commonwealth Games](/source/Commonwealth_Games)}} {{MedalGold| [2010 Delhi](/source/2010_Commonwealth_Games) |+75 kg}} {{MedalSilver| [2014 Glasgow](/source/2014_Commonwealth_Games) |+75 kg}} {{MedalCompetition|[Pacific Games](/source/Pacific_Games)}} {{MedalGold| [2007 Apia](/source/2007_South_Pacific_Games) | +75 kg}} {{MedalGold| [2011 Nouméa](/source/Weightlifting_at_the_2011_Pacific_Games) | +75 kg}} {{MedalGold|[2015 Port Moresby](/source/Weightlifting_at_the_2015_Pacific_Games)| +75 kg}} | show-medals = }} '''Ele Opeloge''' (born July 11, 1985) is a [Samoa](/source/Samoa)n [weightlifter](/source/Olympic_weightlifting). She was the first Samoan to win an Olympic medal, winning silver in the women's +75 kg category at the [2008 Beijing Olympic Games](/source/2008_Beijing_Olympic_Games). ==Family== Opeloge comes from a weightlifting family.{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/programmes/champions-of-the-pacific/audio/2018817082/meet-the-opeloges-samoa-s-first-family-of-weightlifting |title=Meet the Opeloges: Samoa's first family of weightlifting |publisher=[RNZ](/source/RNZ) |date=20 October 2021 |access-date=27 October 2021}} Her brother, [Niusila](/source/Niusila_Opeloge) is also a Commonwealth gold medalist, winning it the same day as her. Four other relatives have also competed at Commonwealth level.{{Cite web|title = Glasgow 2014 - Ele Opeloge Profile|url = http://g2014results.thecgf.com/athlete/weightlifting/1022420/ele_opeloge.html|website = g2014results.thecgf.com|accessdate = 2015-11-27}} Her twin sister is Larissa Tara. She is the mother of weightlifter [Avatu Opeloge](/source/Avatu_Opeloge).{{cite web |url=https://samoaglobalnews.com/samoas-teenage-lifters-shine-at-pacific-mini-games-2022/ |title=Samoa's Teenage Lifters Shine at Pacific Mini Games 2022 |publisher=Samoa Global News |date=23 June 2022 |access-date=17 July 2022}} ==Career== ===2007=== At the [2007 World Championships](/source/2007_World_Weightlifting_Championships) she ranked 11th, with a combined lift of 250 kg.{{cite web|title=OPELOGE Ele |publisher=International Weightlifting Federation |url=http://www.iwf.net/results/results_athlete_e.php?compid=1835 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110527164016/http://www.iwf.net/results/results_athlete_e.php?compid=1835 |archivedate=2011-05-27 }} ===2008=== She [represented Samoa](/source/Samoa_at_the_2008_Summer_Olympics) at the [2008 Summer Olympics](/source/2008_Summer_Olympics) in [Beijing](/source/Beijing), competing in the [over 75kg category](/source/Weightlifting_at_the_2008_Summer_Olympics_%E2%80%93_Women's_%2B75_kg). She was also her country's [flagbearer](/source/2008_Summer_Olympics_national_flag_bearers) during the Games' [opening ceremony](/source/2008_Summer_Olympics_opening_ceremony). Opeloge finished fourth in her event, narrowly missing out on a bronze medal. She lifted 269 kg, matching her personal best, while [Mariya Grabovetskaya](/source/Mariya_Grabovetskaya) of [Kazakhstan](/source/Kazakhstan_at_the_2008_Summer_Olympics) lifted 270 kg to finish third.[https://www.theguardian.com/sport/feedarticle/7730085 "Tears instead of dreams for Samoan"], Reuters, August 16, 2008 In August 2016, the IWF reported in the IOC reanalysis of the 2008 Beijing Olympics that the silver and bronze medalists - [Olha Korobka](/source/Olha_Korobka) of [Ukraine](/source/Ukraine_at_the_2008_Summer_Olympics), and Mariya Grabovetskaya - had failed retests of their doping samples. The [IWF](/source/International_Weightlifting_Federation) later reallocated medals accordingly,http://www.iwf.net/results/results-by-events/?event=21 {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120802023905/http://www.iwf.net/results/results-by-events/?event=21 |date=2012-08-02 }} IWF Results by Events. XXIX OLYMPIC GAMES elevating Opeloge to become the silver medalist and also the first-ever Olympic medalist from Samoa.{{Cite web|title = Samoan weightlifter Ele Opeloge could be about to win her country's first ever Olympic medal | date = 25 August 2016 | url = http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/olympics/83572649/samoan-weightlifter-ele-opeloge-could-be-about-to-win-her-countrys-first-ever-olympic-medal | accessdate = 2016-08-27}} Opeloge is a celebrity in Samoa, "where children approach her in the supermarket for autographs". ===2010=== Opeloge won a gold at the [2010 Commonwealth Games](/source/2010_Commonwealth_Games) in [New Delhi](/source/New_Delhi), [India](/source/India) in the [+75 kg class](/source/Weightlifting_at_the_2010_Commonwealth_Games_%E2%80%93_Women's_%2B75_kg) with a Games record combined lift of 285 kg.{{cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/sport/other-sports/Ele-Opeloge-gives-Samoa-second-gold-medal/article15775843.ece|title=Ele Opeloge gives Samoa second gold medal|work=[The Hindu](/source/The_Hindu)|last=Sabanayakan|first=S.|date=11 October 2010|access-date=1 August 2024}}{{cite news|url=http://www.deccanherald.com/content/103956/opeloge-siblings-have-field-day.html|title=Opeloge siblings have a field day|work=[Deccan Herald](/source/Deccan_Herald)|access-date=10 October 2010|archive-date=22 June 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110622033143/http://www.deccanherald.com/content/103956/opeloge-siblings-have-field-day.html|url-status=dead}} It was also Samoa's second gold medal in the history of the Games. ===2012=== Opeloge took 5th place in the [London Olympics](/source/London_Olympics_in_2012).{{Cite web|title = Ele Opeloge Bio, Stats, and Results|url = https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/op/ele-opeloge-1.html|website = Olympics at Sports-Reference.com|accessdate = 2015-11-27|url-status = dead|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20151002191518/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/op/ele-opeloge-1.html|archivedate = 2015-10-02}} Her build up to the Olympics were disrupted by chicken pox and typhoid. === 2014 === Opeloge was the Samoan flagbearer for the [2014 Commonwealth Games](/source/2014_Commonwealth_Games),{{cite web |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-07-24/pacific-athletes-hit-glasgow-opening/5620514 |title=Pacific athletes 'honoured' to carry national flags at Commonwealth Games opening ceremony |publisher=ABC |date=24 July 2014 |access-date=26 September 2021}} as well as being one of the baton carriers as the Queen's baton made its way through Samoa. At the Games she won the silver medal in the +75 kg category. ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== * {{sports links}} * {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080810130039/http://results.beijing2008.cn/WRM/ENG/BIO/Athlete/4/8002444.shtml |date=August 10, 2008 |title=Athlete Biography at beijing2008 }} {{Footer Commonwealth Games Champions Weightlifting Women Super Heavyweight}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Opeloge, Ele}} Category:Living people Category:1985 births Category:Samoan female weightlifters Category:Weightlifters at the 2008 Summer Olympics Category:Weightlifters at the 2010 Commonwealth Games Category:Commonwealth Games gold medallists for Samoa Category:Olympic weightlifters for Samoa Category:Weightlifters at the 2012 Summer Olympics Category:Weightlifters at the 2014 Commonwealth Games Category:Commonwealth Games silver medallists for Samoa Category:Medalists at the 2008 Summer Olympics Category:Olympic medalists in weightlifting Category:Olympic silver medalists for Samoa Category:Medallists at the 2010 Commonwealth Games Category:Medallists at the 2014 Commonwealth Games Category:Pacific Games gold medalists for Samoa Category:Pacific Games medalists in weightlifting Category:Commonwealth Games gold medallists in weightlifting Category:Commonwealth Games silver medallists in weightlifting --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Ele Opeloge](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ele_Opeloge) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ele_Opeloge?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.