Shaka Sola

{{short description|Samoan shot putter and discus thrower (born 1977)}}

{{Infobox sportsperson

| image=

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| birth_date= {{birth date and age|1977|3|14}}

| birth_place= Motootua

| height={{height|m=1.75}}

| weight={{convert|110|kg|lb|abbr=on}}

| country= {{SAM}}

| sport =Athletics

| event=Shot put

| coach =

| highestranking =

| pb=

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry | {{SAM}} }}

|updated= 23 May 2015

}}

Shaka Sola (born 14 March 1977) is a Samoan shot putter and discus thrower

{{ Citation

| last =

| first =

| date =

| title = Shaka Sola - Biography

| url = http://www.melbourne2006.com.au/Participants/Participants?ID=110521

| publisher = Commonwealth Games Federation

| pages =

| language =

| accessdate = 22 May 2015

}}

who became a popular if surprising star at the 2005 World Championships in Athletics.

Career

At the 2005 World Championships in Athletics, Sola arrived late, having missed his flight from Samoa, and did not reach the games until his specialist event (shot put) had completed. As compensation, he asked to be allowed to compete in the javelin, although he had never previously thrown a javelin.

Sola finished last in the event by a considerable distance, throwing the javelin 41.18 metres, over 17 metres less than the next worst competitor. He was roundly applauded and supported by the other javelin throwers, however, all of whom were aware of the reasons for his participation in that event.

Sola, though not a spectacular javelin thrower, is more than capable in his own sports. He won gold at the 2004 Oceania Athletics Championships in both discus (with a games record of 53.79m) and shot put (17.86m), and represented Samoa in the discus at the 2004 Olympic Games.

In 2005, Sola competed in the South Pacific Mini Games for the first time, winning two medals - one gold and one silver. He first competed in the shot put, throwing 17.74 metres and winning his medal of the games. Sola then competed in the discus and came second place with a throw of 49.33.

Personal bests

Event	Result	Venue	Date
class="wikitable" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%;"
Shot put	18.12 m	{{flagicon\|NZL}} Wellington	8 Mar 2003
Discus throw	58.82 m	{{flagicon\|NZL}} Wellington	12 Feb 2005
Hammer throw	44.34 m	{{flagicon\|FIJ}} Suva	9 Jul 2003
Javelin throw	41.18 m	{{flagicon\|FIN}} Helsinki	9 Aug 2005

Achievements

{{AchievementTable\|Event=yes\|class=wikitable style="text-align:center; font-size: 90%;}}
colspan="6"\|Representing {{SAM}}
rowspan=2\|1996 \|rowspan=2\|Oceania Junior Championships \|rowspan=2\|Townsville, Australia \|4th \|Shot put \|14.20m
bgcolor=cc9966\|3rd \|Discus \|48.04 m
rowspan=3\|2003 \|rowspan=3\|South Pacific Games \|rowspan=3\|Suva, Fiji \|bgcolor=silver\|2nd \|Shot put \|15.97 m
bgcolor=gold\|1st \|Discus \|50.46 m
4th \|Hammer \|44.34m
rowspan=4\|2004 \|rowspan=3\|Oceania Championships \|rowspan=3\|Townsville, Australia \|bgcolor=gold\|1st \|Shot put \|17.86 m CR
bgcolor=gold\|1st \|Discus \|53.79 m CR
bgcolor=cc9966\|3rd \|Hammer \|45.94 m
Olympic Games \|Athens, Greece \|36th (q) \|Discus \|51.10m
rowspan=4\|2005 \|rowspan=3\|South Pacific Mini Games \|rowspan=3\|Koror, Palau \|bgcolor=gold\|1st \|Shot put \|17.74 m
bgcolor=silver\|2nd \|Discus \|49.33 m
4th \|Hammer \|40.82m
World Championships \|Helsinki, Finland \|31st (q) \|Javelin \|41.18m
rowspan=2\|2006 \|rowspan=2\|Commonwealth Games \|rowspan=2\|Melbourne, Australia \|10th \|Shot put \|16.47m
12th \|Discus \|47.74m
rowspan=2\|2007 \|rowspan=2\|Pacific Games \|rowspan=2\|Apia, Samoa \|bgcolor=gold\|1st \|Shot put \|16.77 m
bgcolor=silver\|2nd \|Discus \|48.73 m
rowspan=4\|2009 \|rowspan=2\|Polynesian Championships \|rowspan=2\|Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia \|bgcolor=gold\|1st \|Shot put \|16.19m
bgcolor=silver\|2nd \|Discus \|45.14m
rowspan=2\|Pacific Mini Games \|rowspan=2\|Rarotonga, Cook Islands \|bgcolor=silver\|2nd \|Shot put \|16.16 m
6th \|Discus \|42.70m
rowspan=5\|2011 \|rowspan=3\|Oceania Championships (Regional Division East) \|rowspan=3\|Apia, Samoa \|bgcolor=silver\|2nd \|Shot put \|15.29 m
bgcolor=gold\|1st \|Discus \|43.10 m
bgcolor=silver\|2nd \|Hammer \|36.04 m
rowspan=2\|Pacific Games \|rowspan=2\|Nouméa, New Caledonia \|bgcolor=cc9966\|3rd \|Shot put \|16.17 m
6th \|Discus \|43.01m
rowspan=5\|2014 \|rowspan=3\|Oceania Championships \|rowspan=3\|Rarotonga, Cook Islands \|4th \|Shot put \|14.90m
4th \|Discus \|40.01m
bgcolor="cc9966"\|3rd \|Hammer \|34.23m
rowspan=2\|Oceania Masters Championships (35y-39y) \|rowspan=2\|Rarotonga, Cook Islands \|bgcolor=gold\|1st \|Shot put \|15.04m
bgcolor=gold\|1st \|Discus \|40.07m

{{AchievementTable|Event=yes|class=wikitable style="text-align:center; font-size: 90%;}}

colspan="6"|Representing {{SAM}}

rowspan=2|1996

|rowspan=2|Oceania Junior Championships

|rowspan=2|Townsville, Australia

|4th

|Shot put

|14.20m

bgcolor=cc9966|3rd

|Discus

|48.04 m

rowspan=3|2003

|rowspan=3|South Pacific Games

|rowspan=3|Suva, Fiji

|bgcolor=silver|2nd

|Shot put

|15.97 m

bgcolor=gold|1st

|Discus

|50.46 m

4th

|Hammer

|44.34m

rowspan=4|2004

|rowspan=3|Oceania Championships

|rowspan=3|Townsville, Australia

|bgcolor=gold|1st

|Shot put

|17.86 m CR

bgcolor=gold|1st

|Discus

|53.79 m CR

bgcolor=cc9966|3rd

|Hammer

|45.94 m

Olympic Games

|Athens, Greece

|36th (q)

|Discus

|51.10m

rowspan=4|2005

|rowspan=3|South Pacific Mini Games

|rowspan=3|Koror, Palau

|bgcolor=gold|1st

|Shot put

|17.74 m

bgcolor=silver|2nd

|Discus

|49.33 m

4th

|Hammer

|40.82m

World Championships

|Helsinki, Finland

|31st (q)

|Javelin

|41.18m

rowspan=2|2006

|rowspan=2|Commonwealth Games

|rowspan=2|Melbourne, Australia

|10th

|Shot put

|16.47m

12th

|Discus

|47.74m

rowspan=2|2007

|rowspan=2|Pacific Games

|rowspan=2|Apia, Samoa

|bgcolor=gold|1st

|Shot put

|16.77 m

bgcolor=silver|2nd

|Discus

|48.73 m

rowspan=4|2009

|rowspan=2|Polynesian Championships

|rowspan=2|Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia

|bgcolor=gold|1st

|Shot put

|16.19m

bgcolor=silver|2nd

|Discus

|45.14m

rowspan=2|Pacific Mini Games

|rowspan=2|Rarotonga, Cook Islands

|bgcolor=silver|2nd

|Shot put

|16.16 m

6th

|Discus

|42.70m

rowspan=5|2011

|rowspan=3|Oceania Championships (Regional Division East)

|rowspan=3|Apia, Samoa

|bgcolor=silver|2nd

|Shot put

|15.29 m

bgcolor=gold|1st

|Discus

|43.10 m

bgcolor=silver|2nd

|Hammer

|36.04 m

rowspan=2|Pacific Games

|rowspan=2|Nouméa, New Caledonia

|bgcolor=cc9966|3rd

|Shot put

|16.17 m

6th

|Discus

|43.01m

rowspan=5|2014

|rowspan=3|Oceania Championships

|rowspan=3|Rarotonga, Cook Islands

|4th

|Shot put

|14.90m

4th

|Discus

|40.01m

bgcolor="cc9966"|3rd

|Hammer

|34.23m

rowspan=2|Oceania Masters Championships (35y-39y)

|rowspan=2|Rarotonga, Cook Islands

|bgcolor=gold|1st

|Shot put

|15.04m

bgcolor=gold|1st

|Discus

|40.07m

References

External links

{{sports links}}
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200418103529/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/so/shaka-sola-1.html Sports reference biography]

Category:1977 births

Category:Living people

Category:Samoan male shot putters

Category:Samoan male discus throwers

Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2004 Summer Olympics

Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2006 Commonwealth Games

Category:Olympic athletes for Samoa

Category:Commonwealth Games competitors for Samoa

Category:Samoan male hammer throwers

Category:New Zealand Athletics Championships winners

Category:Pacific Games gold medalists for Samoa

Category:Pacific Games silver medalists for Samoa

Category:Pacific Games bronze medalists for Samoa

Category:Pacific Games medalists in athletics