Terry Sasser

RMI lifter sparkles in Apia

RMI lifter sparkles in Apia

In the first session of the 2023 Oceania Weightlifting Federation’s (OWF) Youth, Junior and U23 Championships in Apia, Samoa last week, Marshall Islands weightlifters started strong with Mike Riklon winning the gold medal in the under-23 category in his 55kg (121 pounds). Not only is he now the reigning Oceania U23 Champion, but his six-for-six […]

RMI makes unique mark in Tokyo

RMI makes unique mark in Tokyo

TERRY SASSER* The July 23 Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games in Tokyo, which took place a year later than planned, was described by global media outlets as “muted,” “somber,” “subdued,” “overshadowed by a pandemic, but defined by hope, tradition and gestures of diversity.” Rio Olympian swimmer Colleen Furgeson, modeling a traditional Marshallese costume provided […]

RMI athletes to Tokyo Olympics

RMI athletes to Tokyo Olympics

In spite of the continued global Covid-19 pandemic and associated travel restrictions, which have already denied several Oceania countries the opportunity to participate in the Olympics, Marshall Islands will have a team at the rescheduled 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games in Tokyo next month. Rio Olympian and recent Lincoln College graduate Colleen Furgeson will again represent […]

Strong women (and men) eye Games

Strong women (and men) eye Games

EVE BURNS Here’s to the team in the Marshall Islands that never burns out and didn’t die out. The RMI weightlifting team always brings in medals from any international competition they compete in, even as the weightlifting team adds new faces from year to year. For the upcoming Micronesian Games, weightlifting got ahead of every […]

Mattie smashes Pacific Games records

Mattie smashes Pacific Games records

On the first day of the Pacific Mini Games weightlifting competition, Marshall Islands’ Mathlynn “Mattie” Sasser dominated the women’s 63kg category, setting five Oceania and five Pacific Games records on her way to three gold medals. Her 219kg (483lbs) total was 46kg (101lbs) above silver-medalist Amanda Gould of New Zealand and bronze-medalist Maximina Uepa of […]

Kenneth, Terry get National Olympic Committee nod

Kenneth, Terry get National Olympic Committee nod

The Marshall Islands National Olympic Committee extended the terms of five of its seven executive members, including President Kenneth Kramer and Secretary General Terry Sasser, at its every-four-year election last week at the Marshall Islands Resort. Nine sports federations affiliated with the National Olympic Committee (NOC) were eligible to cast votes in the election of […]

Mattie tops US lifting competition

Mattie tops US lifting competition

Mattie Sasser continued her winning ways with a gold medal performance in the United States earlier this month. Competing at the 2016 American Open weightlifting competition in Orlando, Florida, Sasser’s 88kg/194lb snatch and 113kg/249lb clean and jerk for a 201kg/442lbs total broke her previous Oceania 58kg junior snatch and total records.  At USA Weightlifting’s (USAW) […]

Richson’s Olympic dream run

Richson’s Olympic dream run

KATY ATKINSON and SIMON THOMPSON, The Reporters’ Academy Richson Simeon, 18, broke his personal best sprint time as he recorded a time of 11.81 seconds in the Men’s 100m at the Olympic Stadium in Rio last week. After his moment under the spotlight, Simeon mulled over his race: “There weren’t many expectations on me today, […]

Mattie’s record-smashing gold show

Mattie’s record-smashing gold show

Marshall Islands weightlifters Mathlynn “Mattie” Sasser and Kabuati Bob joined over 200 athletes from 19 countries at the 2016 Oceania Weightlifting Championships and Olympic Games Qualification Tournament in Suva, Fiji last month. Mattie set numerous records on her way to winning gold and was honored at the tournament’s closing as the Best Junior Female Lifter […]