Mason Smales is chasing Olympic history for Sāmoa

Mason Smales has one clear goal: get back on court and qualify for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

The 28-year-old professional squash player is currently sidelined by a liver condition that has kept him away from competition for the past six months.

For a professional athlete, time away is tough. But Smales is focused on recovery first, and then a return to the Professional Squash Association (PSA) tour.

For him, this is about more than sports. “I think I was the first player on the world tour that was Sāmoan,” he tells Tuilagi William Leolahi on Pacific Huddle.

“It's a massive honour to put the Sāmoan flag on and represent home,” he says. “It’s where my family and where I come from. It's a massive privilege to be able to do that.”

Squash is a sport rarely associated with the Pacific. Rugby dominates headlines. But Smales is helping to change that story.

He grew up around the game. His grandfather, Apa Fatialofa, introduced him to squash, and it quickly became part of family life.

“All the family was playing with him,” Smales says. “My parents played and I was always around squash, so that's what got me into it.”

At 194cm tall, Smales cuts an imposing figure on court. He plays left-handed and uses his reach to his advantage. But he says his build also brings challenges.

“Being big, having a heavy build with the Sāmoan blood, I've got to do extra movement and a lot of extra conditioning to be fit and quick on the court.”

That hard work has paid off. In 2024, he climbed to a career-high ranking of 183 in the world.

Last September, he claimed gold at the Oceania Closed Championships in Apia, a special moment in front of family and local supporters.

“That was a big one for me, being able to get the win in front of the home crowd and some family there and all the locals coming down to support,” he says.

His achievement was praised by the Sāmoa Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee, which commended his bravery and wished him well for the future.

Smales has trained and competed in the United Kingdom and the United States, testing himself against some of the world’s best.

Listen to Mason Smales' full interview below.

“I got to see what these guys do differently to separate me from them and learn what I need to do, what it takes to be the best,” he says.

Financial support remains one of the biggest barriers for Pacific athletes in smaller sports. Travel, coaching, and equipment are expensive.

Smales says support from the Sāmoan Squash Association and business sponsors has been vital.

A sport gaining momentum

Squash will make its Olympic debut at the Los Angeles Games in 2028, giving players like Smales a rare and historic opportunity.

The sport is also being considered for the 2030 Commonwealth Games in India.

Pacific tournaments are becoming increasingly important. The Papua New Guinea Squash Rackets Federation noted in a social media post that “Regional competitions like Oceania now take on more importance with squash out of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.”

For Pacific athletes looking for a different pathway, Smales believes squash offers real potential, even if access to courts and equipment remains a challenge in Sāmoa.

“They obviously need a little bit of funding to get some racquets for the kids… but there’s definitely potential if you can get a programme running,” he says.

Right now, his focus is simple: recover, return, and represent. His message to young Pacific athletes is just as clear.

“Keep going, keep trying your best and try to break through. You can do it, you’ve just got to give it a go.”