Alex Rose threw 66.96 metres for bronze in the men's discus in Tokyo. Photo: Oceania Athletics Facebook
Samoa has its first-ever medal at the World Athletics Championships.
Alex Rose threw 66.96 metres to win bronze in the men's discus in Tokyo after the final was suspended for nearly two hours due to torrential rain.
Speaking to Oceania Athletics before the final, Rose said he is "so proud every single time" he represents Samoa.
Born in the United States, the 33-year-old played American football and basketball in school, and took up discus while attending Ogemaw Heights High School in Michigan.
He obtained dual citizenship with Samoa in 2012 through his father, who was originally from a small village in Samoa and emigrated to the US with a church band.
"I just think about his journey a lot and I think about where he came from and I try to pay my respects to everything he did and everyone in the culture who's been supporting me this whole time."
The bronzeis also the first medal won by a male Pacific Island athlete at an athletics world championships.
Sweden's Daniel Stahl won gold with a throw of 70.47 metres, ahead of Lithuania's Mykolas Alekna who threw 67.84 metres.
Rose's previous best at world championship level was eighth in 2022. He also made the Olympic final in Paris last year, finishing in 12th.
He finished fourth at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games in 2022.
The United States finished the world championships in style on Sunday as Noah Lyles and Melissa Jefferson-Wooden completed memorable individual weeks by helping their country to emphatic golds in both 4x100 metre relays in driving rain.
Jamaica's women finished second in 41.79 to send sprint queen Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce into retirement with a 17th world championship medal.
