Ads by Google Ads by Google

Ursula Te'o Martin wins Gold for American Samoa in Bodybuilding

American Samoa's first ever female to win gold at the Pacific Games for the Bodybuilding Competition, Ursula Filimaleafa Te’o Martin was in tears when she won at the XV Pacific Games in Papua New Guinea yesterday. She is also the first gold medalist of Team Amerika Samoa for these games.

 

“I’m out of words. I don’t know what to say. Oh my gosh! I don’t believe I made it. It’s gold, don’t you believe it,” Te'o-Martin said when Samoa News interviewed her after the competition.

 

Martin was competing in the 55kg for the women’s division with four other bodybuilders, where Fiji won silver, PNG won bronze and Solomons did not place.

 

The crowd was on their feet when the announcer called out Martin from American Samoa to the stage.

 

When she made her way to the stage, the crowd was shouting out loud, “Go American Samoa! Go America!"

 

When asked by Samoa News how she felt after winning gold for American Samoa, Martin smile and said in Samoan, “Fa’afetai i le Atua"  (Thanks to God)—without His blessing and guidance upon our team, we’ll never be up on this stage today."

 

Martin also thanked Team American Samoa for their great support— which she said encouraged their team to keep trying and never give up.

 

“Our team knew that this would not be an easy competition for us. Entering the Pacific Games this year for the first time, we knew that the competition would be really hard— there are great bodybuilders from other Pacific countries who are vying for gold but I thanked God for assuring us that we can also compete with those other Pacific countries, no matter how small American Samoa is,” Martin said.

 

One month before the games began, Martin said that she told her team that they were going to the Pacific Games for one medal — and now they did it, and they were blessed by God for winning this gold for American Samoa.

 

“It’s an honor and a blessing to represent American Samoa in the bodybuilding sport for the first time. It's not easy — it’s a sport that you need to surrender everything you do in life to live a healthy life,” said Martin.

 

When asked how she felt when American Samoa got the chance to compete at the Pacific Games this year, Martin said, “it’s a great feeling for me to know that American Samoa is now part of the Pacific Bodybuilding Association, and it’s a chance that I’ve been waiting for, for a long time, but now it’s happened.”

 

Being a Trainer for Healthy Living for the American Samoa National Olympic Committee (ASNOC) for many years and also a Special Program Organizer, Martin said that she loves to stay healthy and will continue to live this way for the rest of her life.

 

Martin is the daughter of Whitney E Te’o and Palefuiono S. Leiataua of Faleniu. She was married to Col. George Martin, who was killed in July 2008 while serving in the Air Force as a Flight Surgeon and an Emergency Medical Doctor.

 

“My husband was really helpful to this program while we were staying in the States. He always encouraged me to stay healthy and be a fit woman. So I would like to dedicate this gold medal to my husband for being someone who always assisted me during my training,” said Martin who survived his death with her son, Guahan, who is now six years old.

 

Martin was a member of the Bodybuilding Association of American Samoa last year, when they worked together with other members of their bodybuilding team, Stallone S. Nua, Lucky Luciano Tran and Tupou McEntire to form this Association. Around October of last year, their team planned to take part in the Pacific Games.

 

When asked about her plans for the future, Martin said that she’s willing to start a clinic where anyone who wants to be part of the bodybuilding sport can come to join them in their training and to prepare for the next Pacific Games in Tonga.

 

“I’m willing to help anyone who wants to join this sport. I will make sure that American Samoa will send another good team to the next Pacific Games, and I hope that this is the beginning for American Samoa to do better in other Pacific Games in the future,” said Martin.

 

“My aim is to stay focused on developing this sport. It's a good opportunity for us to participate in all sports during the Pacific Games. If we can do that, then the Pacific Games council will look at us as one of the best sports countries in the Pacific,” she said.

 

“I was raised by a mother that was always willing to commit in everything she did in life. While I was a little girl, my mother taught me a lot, especially when I did something, she always told me that I have to be honest in everything I do and to make sure I do it right,” Martin said with a smile on her face.

 

The bodybuilding team will arrive back in American Samoa on Tuesday afternoon.

 

Lots more photos in slideshow and at our Facebook page.