Samoa’s Iuniarra Sipaia proudly represented the nation in the Women’s +86kg weightlifting competition at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.
Sipaia successfully lifted 100kg in the snatch, displaying resilience and determination against some of the Commonwealth’s strongest weightlifters.
She was unable to register a successful lift in the clean and jerk, resulting in a Did Not Finish (DNF) in the final standings.
While the result was not the one she had hoped for, representing Samoa on the Commonwealth Games stage remains a significant achievement and adds to an already distinguished international career.
Sipaia has been one of Samoa’s leading weightlifters for more than a decade. She won three gold medals at the 2016 Oceania Weightlifting Championships before claiming bronze at the 2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games.
Later that year, Sipaia received a provisional suspension following a doping case. However, she was cleared in 2018 after the suspension was lifted, having successfully challenged the case. The suspension forced her to miss both the 2017 Pacific Mini Games and the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
She later qualified for both the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Although she qualified for Tokyo, she did not compete after Samoa did not send a weightlifting team due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Sipaia returned to the Olympic stage at Paris 2024, where she finished 11th in the women’s +81kg competition.
Despite the disappointment in Glasgow, Sipaia’s longevity, perseverance and commitment to representing Samoa continue to make her one of the country’s most respected weightlifters.
Alofa Grace is an Intern Reporter and Photographer with Samoa Global News. Alofa Grace is passionate about sharing stories and capturing real moments. She is a graduate of Maluafou College and hopes to continue a career as a Journalist.
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