Michigan Olympian could become the pride of Samoa in Paris

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. ( WOOD ) — Alex Rose holds his son Aleki in his lap, near the symbol of his later father tattooed above his heart.

Rose’s father Ross Rose came to the United States from Samoa at the age of 19, bearing a guitar and a dream.

“To be an immigrant coming into this country, not being able to speak English, with the goals of being a successful family man with his own business,” Alex Rose said. “That far outweighs anything I have had to overcome.”

But like his father, Rose is not afraid to pursue a dream. It has taken him to the most prestigious stage in sports: the Olympics.

“I think it’s possible for me to have a medal,” he said.

Though his dream is athletic, not musical, Rose’s father’s influence is written into every chapter of his story.

“He pushed me into sports.  He said Samoan people are strong and very proud of being strong. That’s kind of what got me into trying to be a good athlete to begin with,” Rose said.

He’s more than just “good” — he’s among the top discus throwers in the world. The Paris Games will be his third Olympics. He’s not the favorite, but he does own the second-longest throw in the world this year at 71.48 meters.

If he was competing for the United States, he would own the U.S. record. But like he did in Rio and Tokyo, Rose will throw for Samoa.

“If I were to win an Olympic medal for Samoa, I would be the first male athlete to ever do so.  That would mean everything to the island,” he said.

The competition and carrying the Samoan flag at the Opening Ceremony in Tokyo has deepened his connection to his father’s homeland. And it honors the man who risked everything for a dream.

Rose, of Grand Rapids, has worked hard to reach such a high level of competition. Before the Tokyo Games, he took a sabbatical from work and his wife Samantha became the household breadwinner so he could train full-time.

Then the COVID-19 pandemic happened, delaying the Olympics. What was supposed to be six months off work turned into more than a year.

“It slowly snowballed into this looming threat over my shoulder,” Rose recalled. “COVID delayed how long you’re going to work. COVID delayed the time frame from you taking this break in your life. It definitely was intimidating.”

The pandemic also meant his wife and family couldn’t go to Tokyo to watch him compete. He struggled with their absence. He hoped to make the discus final, but that didn’t happen .

His family will be in Paris to watch him.

“It is so comforting to see my family in the stands, to know they’re in section 18. If I look right and if I look left, I can see my wife, my mom and my sister. There’s a lot of comfort in that really, because they were there my whole life. For them to be there in the pinnacle of my career, at my proudest moment, it means everything,” he said.

His preparation for the Olympics is drastically different this time around than last time. He’s back at work and busier than ever, especially since the arrival of his son Aleki. Rather than training full-time, he finds a field to throw discus during his lunch break and gets his lifts in after his son goes to bed.

“When I have to go out and sneak in an hour and I get back right before his bed time, I’m thinking about that when I’m lifting or throwing. I have to make those reps count, because I’m missing the most important time in the world, which is spending time with my family.”

Before work and between training sessions for what could be his last chance at Olympic glory, Rose gives Aleki his undivided attention.

“It’s weird and everybody says this and it’s cliché, but there’s this moment where you realize that everything you thought was important in this world, most of it never really mattered. The only thing that matters is me being a good parent to this little baby you’re looking at,” he said.

He said he’s got the perfect balance heading into the biggest meet of his life. Thanks to his son, he’s also got a fresh perspective.

“(Becoming a father) changes everything,” Rose said. “It made me realize that although the Olympics is incredible and there’s nothing else like it, I’m trying to throw a metal plate as far as I can against other people. I’m not saving lives out here.”

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