Outspoken Samoan weightlifting coach Jerry Wallwork has spoken graciously of Laurel Hubbard's injury woes which saw her bundled out of the Commonwealth Games 91kg plus weightlifting competition yesterday.
Wallwork has consistently spoken out about Hubbard's inclusion in the women's event, saying the training and competition she experienced before transitioning to a woman put her at an unfair advantage.
He said his own competitor, 17-year-old Feagaiga Stowers was effectively lifting for silver.
However, following Hubbard's injury while attempting 132kg in her third snatch lift yesterday, Stowers was presented the opportunity to lift to gold.
She didn't miss.
Speaking afterwards, Wallwork refused to put the boot in, saying Hubbard's injury was unfortunate and something that happens in the heat of competition.
"I know there was a tragedy here in this division, that's how it goes in sport," he told 1 NEWS NOW.
"You have to take the opportunity when you get get, and we took the opportunity, our girl was lucky, she won the gold."
Samoa enjoyed a strong weightlifting campaign, winning two gold medals - Stowers and Sanele Mao (men's 105kg) - and two silver in Lauititi Lui (men's 105kg plus) and Don Opeloge (men's 85kg).
It signalled a revival for Samoan lifting, after a three-gold haul at Delhi in 2010 was followed by nothing four years later in Glasgow.
"It's been an eight year drought since Delhi, I wanted it to come back now to where it was before or event better," he said.
"We started off missing a few lifts, but I'm very happy we came back strong at the end."
MORE VISION FROM SAMOA AT THE COMMONWEALTH GAMES
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