30 Jul 2021

Samoa's Alex Rose eyes history in Tokyo

9:57 am on 30 July 2021

Samoan discus thrower Alex Rose believes he's capable of a podium finish at the Tokyo Olympics.

Samoan discus thrower Alex Rose.

Samoan discus thrower Alex Rose. Photo: Samoa Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee

The 29-year-old is competing in his second Summer Games, after exiting in the qualifying rounds in Rio five years ago.

He's currenty sitting 12th in the world rankings, and is dreaming big after recording a personal best throw of 67.48m at a meet in Tuscon, Arizona in May, which is the seventh best throw in the world this year.

"They take top 12 in the finals and I've never made an Olympics or a World Championship final before, but I truly think that this year I have the chance to do it," he said.

"It's going to be a challenge to compete for a medal and compete to get into the final but I think I'm up for it."

Samoa's Alex Rose competing at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Samoa's Alex Rose competing at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Photo: AFP

Rose was born in the United States and raised in West Branch, Michigan but his dad grew up in Samoa. He first represented Samoa in 2012 and said he always takes pride in representing his heritage.

"It's kind of funny because I live around and train with a lot of these people [American athletes] and I've clearly competed in a lot of the competitions with them, so it's always funny if I wind up winning the meet and you'll see the Samoan flag next to my name and then the US athletes underneath that," he said.

"I like competing for Samoa because no Samoan athlete has ever made the Olympic final and you know, when you compete for the US, you're kind of just a cog in the machine so to speak. There's there's a lot of success that happens perpetually for them so I just like competing for my culture and my heritage, and I'm very proud of that."

Team Samoa at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Team Samoa at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Photo: Samoa Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee

Rose took a sabbatical from work at the end of 2019 to focus all his energy on preparing for the Tokyo Games, which were postponed by 12 months because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

"I was in the best shape of my life and then Covid hit, the gyms closed, the throwing circles were locked up, the cages were drawn and I think it was a struggle that many of the Olympians had to face, I'm not alone in that," he admitted.

On top of that, he had a groin injury and needed surgery in September to fix the abdominal muscles attached to his pubic bone.

But he insisted, he was in even better shape now.

"I'm all healed up now and I've had fantastic training since then with a lot of core strengthening and recovery, and I'm in the best shape of my life. I truly cannot complain about the route that's happened and I'm ready to go."

Rose is one of 10 athletes representing Samoa at the Olympics, after locally-based competitors [https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/445917/samoa-caretaker-govt-pulls-country-s-team-from-tokyo-olympics were prevented from travelling to Japan due to Covid-19.

He had the honour of being Samoa's flag bearer at last week's opening ceremony, which was held in an empty Olympic stadium.

Samoa's flag bearer Alex Rose leads the delegation during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Samoa's flag bearer Alex Rose leads the delegation during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Photo: AFP

The Oceania and Pacific Games gold medallist said nothing would ever compare to flying the flag for his dad, his family and for the country.

"We were walking for hours and hours and I was thinking about whether my legs would be fresh for training the next day and then as soon as I saw the lights in the tunnel where the stadium was and I could hear everyone on the announcer I was just overwhelmed with joy," he explained.

"I never in my wildest dreams would have imagined that I would have had that opportunity [to be Samoa's flag bearer]...I started tearing up and I realised what an honour it was to be there. I was incredibly humbled and grateful, and the chance to represent Samoa at an international level like that, it was something else."

Rose will be going up against the world's best today, but he's up for the challenge and betting on bringing some silverware home for Samoa.