Filomenaleonisa Iakopo has qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics where she will represent American Samoa in the sprint events.
Radio New Zealand’s correspondent in the Northern Marianas reports that Ms. Iakopo, the daughter of Stanley Iakopo of American Samoa and Priscilla Maratita of Saipan, Northern Marianas, said she has mixed feelings not being able to represent the CNMI where she was born.
“Unfortunately, the CNMI does not have an Olympic seat, therefore is unable to compete in the Olympic Games.”
Ms. Iakopo said, “I am blessed that the American Samoa Olympic Committee, through the American Samoa Track and Field Association, has given me this opportunity.”
She assured that despite representing American Samoa, she is still from the CNMI through and through.
She said, “I have worked very hard to achieve this goal of mine. I am extremely grateful that I am not only Chamorro but I am also Samoan and I am equally proud to carry both cultures. Who I am is deeply rooted in being both being Chamorro and Samoan.”
She was beyond shock when she learned she got the ticket to Paris.
“When I got the news, I was overwhelmed with joy and disbelief. It felt like all my hard work and sacrifices had finally paid off,” said the 18-year-old who recently graduated in the Top 10 of her class at Kagman High School.
Iakopo said she qualified for the Olympics by competing in multiple qualifying events and achieving the required times in sanctioned competitions.
Her first international competition was in 2022 at the Oceania Athletics Championships in Mackay, Australia. Followed by the Pacific Mini Games 2022, Oceania Cup 2023, Pacific Games 2023, World Athletics Indoor Championships 2024 in Glasgow, Scotland and in June 2024 she competed in the Oceania Athletics Championships in Suva, Fiji.
