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Tilali Scanlan sets the crowd on fire with silver win

Tilali Scanlan on the pdoium after winning her silver medal with gold winner Moana Wind and bronze, Poerani Bertrand
Source: Samoa 2019

Apia, SAMOA —The sky had cleared, but instead the sound of fans cheering could be heard thundering outside Aquatic Centre Faleata on Thursday's third evening of swimming finals.

Cook Islands, Guam, and American Samoa all reached the podium for the first time at the Samoa 2019 XVI Pacific Games, adding to a number of captivating storylines that have developed over the first days of competition.

Vaitogi native Tilali Scanlan, took the silver medal in the 50 meter breast stroke, American Samoa’s first in the 2019 Pacific games.

Moana Wind brought home gold for Fiji, but it was Tilali that set the crowd on fire with her silver medal finish and the first ever medal in swimming for American Samoa at the Pacific Games. Tahiti’s Poerani Bertrand won bronze, her team’s third of the evening.  

After the Games Tilali heads to the FINA Long Course World Championships in Gwangju, Korea.

Tilali is a recipient of the Olympic Scholarship awarded by the International Olympic Committee through the American Samoa National Olympic Committee. This funding goes towards subsidizing her training costs and providing support for participation in competitions on her pathway to the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.