Filomenaleonisa Iakopo sets a new national record for American Samoa in the women’s 100M event of the Olympic Games in Paris, France on Friday.
Filomenaleonisa Iakopo pushes through the finish line during the women’s 100M event of the Olympic Games in Paris, France on Friday.
FILOMENALEONISA Iakopo reached two milestones in her debut at the Olympic Games in Paris, France, setting a new national record and personal best time of 12.78 in the women’s 100M event on Friday.
In heat 2 of the preliminary round, Iakopo, a CNMI resident who is representing American Samoa, went up against the best in the world and placed eighth among nine competitors. Although she did not qualify for the next round, the 18-year-old still felt like a winner.
“Days leading up to my competition I was nervous and anxious, but moments before the race I was completely zoned in and focused,” Iakopo said. “Physically I couldn’t do anything to enhance my performance any further, but I was mentally strong. I had faith in my training and my ability to execute my race.”
After Iakopo crossed the finish line, she waited for her time to be displayed on the main screen. After seeing “NR” — national record — beside her time, she said she was shocked and grateful. “It truly is the best feeling knowing I have hit a [personal best] and a new NR at my Olympic debut,” she added.
After her coach reviewed her performance, Iakopo said she learned that she still has a lot of work to do such as improving her drive phase by not standing up quickly and working on her top end speed.
But “overall, I am satisfied with my performance. It is the fastest I have run so far, and I am only going to get better,” Iakopo said.
“My competition was by far the best day of my life. The adrenaline rush I had was like no other. Competing against the world’s best athletes and being part of that caliber is unforgettable. It only reminded me why I love sprinting so much,” she said.
Iakopo also appreciates the chance to represent her home in the world’s biggest sports event.
“It is a huge honor and blessing to be able to say that I am the first Chamorro from the Northern Mariana Islands to compete in the Olympics,” she said. Iaokopo’s father is from American Samoa while her mother is from Saipan.
“It is not only an achievement of my own but for the people of the Northern Mariana Islands. Holding this role is not something I take lightly, and I only hope this experience will be an inspiration to other young athletes like me that anything is possible,” she added.
After her race, she said, she was guided back into the warmup area. “My mom [Priscilla Maratita Iakopo] and I saw each other from far away and ran to each other. We cried together as we hugged. Breaking my personal best and national record at the Olympic Games was all a dream come true. So much hard work, dedication, and commitment was put into all this being a reality by not only me but my family as well. I would not have made it this far if it wasn’t for my family.”
