Mary Ieremia-Allan | Sport

Talofa lava, lo’u igoa o Mary Ieremia-Allan. I am honoured to be from the humble villages of Fasito’otai and Sinamoga in Samoa, as well as the city of Pietermaritzburg in South Africa. This cultural diversity within me, has been the cause of my determination and persistence to excel in all areas that are possible. From the stories of my parent’s migrations, I have learnt to seize every opportunity that passes my way. Sporting is an outlet for many including myself. As soon as you step foot onto the pitch, any aggravation, emotion, stress etc… is relieved and replaced with overwhelming passion. The sporting community is also the cause of so many lifelong friends. Through the journey of losses, injury, wins, excitement, you always experience the same emotions as other players when playing in team sports. Ultimately, this is the reason I play sport. To journey with other young athletes, in aspiration to achieve a bigger goal.

My sporting experience started around the age of 9, and has molded me into a confident and hard working young woman. Achievements within touch rugby include consecutively being selected in 2018,2019 and 2020 to represent New Zealand throughout Australasia, as well as possibly Manchester, England in the future for the Touch Rugby Junior World Cup.

I am honoured to say that passion instilled within me, covers many aspects of life. Other personal outlets include composing classical music, and the study of indigenous history. In my life, academia has always been a source of refuge in times of hardship. Educating myself about international relations/politics/history, allows me to feel comfortable in certain conversations, and equips me with the ability to spread awareness on issues that may not be spoken about otherwise. As a young Pasifika woman, I feel the responsibility to pave the way for others in the future, and to advocate for those that can’t find their voice.