Alex Rose (athlete)

Alexander Melei Rose (born 17 November 1991) is a Samoan-American athlete, competing primarily in the discus throw and occasionally in the shot put and the hammer throw. He represented Samoa at the 2016 Olympics, and 2020 Summer Olympics, as well as the Commonwealth Games and Pacific Games.

Life
Although born in the United States, Rose holds dual citizenship with Samoa, since his father was born there and emigrated to the US as a 19-year-old. He threw for Central Michigan University.

He represented Samoa in the 2013 World Championships in Athletics and the 2015 World Championships in Athletics, failing to qualify for the final on both occasions. He's had great success at the Oceania Athletics Championships, with eight gold medals and a silver in three different throwing events—Discus, Shot Put & Hammer Throw—over four different games from 2021 to 2017.

At the 2022 World Athletics Championships he made the final, coming 8th in the world. Rose competed for Samoa at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham where he finished 4th with a best throw of 64.56 m, just 2 cm off third place.

His personal best in the discus was 66.91 metres (Claremont, California, 19 July 2019), until he improved his national record to 67.4 8m at the University of Arizona on 22 May 2021, and then, in 2023, Rose threw 70.39 m at the Oklahoma Throws Series on 16 April 2023, setting a new Oceania Area Record.

Personal bests
Outdoor
 * Shot put – 17.22 (Papeete 2013)
 * Discus throw – 70.39 (Tulsa, Oklahoma 2023) NR, AR
 * Hammer throw – 58.66 (Port Moresby 2015) NR

Indoor
 * Shot put – 17.75 (Bowling Green 2011)
 * Weight throw – 19.73 (Chicago 2016) NR