Beyond the Track with Laulauga Tausaga-Collins

Interview by Parker Neumeier, Journalism Student at the University of Wisconsin–Madison 

Meet Laulauga Tausaga-Collins, the first American ever to become a world champion in women’s discus: a Marvel movie nerd, Twilight Team Edward loyalist and Jeep off-roading enthusiast. 

Introduction to Track & Field 

With Samoan roots, Tausaga-Collins was born in Honolulu and grew up in San Diego. As a kid, she laughed, recalling how she was “forced” to play sports by her mom. 

“You’re a tall girl. Go do basketball,” her mom told her. 

But her basketball coaches said she needed more speed. When track season came around in high school, she initially said “heck no” to running. Then she learned she could “throw a ball and be on varsity.” She was sold. That marked the beginning of her discus career. 

High School and Beyond 

Before long, it was time to think about life after high school. Tausaga-Collins had always planned on joining the military. She comes from a military family: her mom and younger brother are in the Navy, her sister married someone in the Navy, and her dad served in the Army. The military felt like the logical next step. 

That changed when her school counselor called her in after colleges began inquiring about her talent. The counselor told her she had a real opportunity to pursue throwing in college — if she raised her grades. 

Tausaga-Collins ended up retaking freshman-year classes as a senior after encouragement from her counselor, who was determined to make sure she didn’t miss her opportunity. 

When Tausaga-Collins asked why she was going to such lengths to help, her counselor responded: 

“I see it. I don’t want to see another one slip through the cracks.” 

That belief became the push she needed. Eventually, she received a call from the University of Iowa. 

At first, she was hesitant. She loved being close to family and laughed remembering that she wasn’t even sure where Iowa was at the time. But during her visit, she met another Samoan student — who turned out to be her cousin. That connection provided just enough of a sense of home. 

The Sign That Sealed Her College Decision 

Though she still wasn’t entirely sold on Iowa and remained set on West Point, something unexpected happened. 

After returning home, she randomly pulled out a gray T-shirt with pink lettering that read: Iowa Hawkeyes. 

She saw it as a sign. 

“Hyperventilating… I told my mom, ‘This is it.’” 

She liked the coach. She liked the idea of cold weather as a change from sunny California. She even joked that her “biggest dream was to get caught in a blizzard.” 

Iowa it was. 

Continued Support Through Adversity 

After committing to college, the road to becoming a professional athlete required ongoing support from those closest to her. Training for elite competitions while balancing college isn’t cheap. 

“It’s expensive to be an athlete, especially when you’re not in the top 1%,” she said. 

Fortunately, her close-knit family stepped up. Her sister, who works for Hawaiian Airlines, helped her find discounted flights for competitions. Her mom runs a food distribution organization that expanded to help fuel athletes, knowing how difficult it can be to meet protein goals on a college budget.  

Before she could afford her own car, her family helped her get to practice — whether that meant rides, taking time off work or helping cover Uber costs. At the same time, Tausaga-Collins balanced school, training and work. She DoorDashed and picked up odd jobs to make ends meet during one of the busiest seasons of her life. 

The First American Woman to Win It 

At the 2023 World Championships in Budapest Tausaga-Collins started in last place, admitting she just wanted to finish 11th instead of 12th. 

Then something clicked. 

“Uh-uh. We’re not gonna lay down,” she told herself. 

This was her third World Championships appearance. In 2019, she said she “laid down,” chalking it up to being young and scared. In 2022, she blamed nerves in her first professional year.  

In 2023, she made herself a promise: 

“I’ll be damned if I get anything other than 11th or up.” 

From there, it was “all gas, no brakes.” 

Her third throw guaranteed she would move up from last place. That was all she needed. The fire was lit, and the floodgates opened. 

Tausaga-Collins climbed her way back to win the world championship title in women’s discus, becoming the first American woman ever to do so. 

In that moment, she said, “track went from being this job to being the sport that I loved again.” 

What Saved Her From Quitting 

After becoming a world champion, Laulauga Tausaga-Collins faced a stunning setback when she was eliminated in the opening round of the women’s discus at the U.S. Olympic Trials after fouling three times. The grind of elite competition eventually became overwhelming. At one point, she questioned whether continuing was worth it. 

Coming off one of the lowest moments of her athletic career, she feared she wouldn’t receive the funding necessary to keep training because of her performance. She was close to walking away from the sport entirely. 

Then she received an Elite Athlete Development grant from the USATF Foundation. In fact, the Foundation had been supporting her journey for the past four years, awarding her Stephen A. Schwarzman and Elite Athlete Development grants annually since 2020. 

That funding carried her through the 2025 season—one of the strongest of her career. 

“That saved me from quitting the sport,” she said. 

Her Future 

Now, she says, “it’s time to have fun” and see how far she can go. 

Her sights are set on competing for Team USA at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics — and making the final on home soil in California. 

Eventually, she hopes to follow what she calls the “athlete-to-coach pipeline” at the NCAA level. Currently, she coaches at Cuyamaca Community College, where she’s passionate about identifying “diamonds in the rough” and helping mold them into competitors. 

As a coach, she draws from the philosophies of her own mentors and invests deeply in the next generation — just as others once invested in her. 

How She Wants to Be Remembered 

When asked what she wants her legacy to be, Tausaga-Collins doesn’t mention medals. 

She mentions her voice. 

“I have this habit of sitting down with a group of people and just… yapping,” she said with a laugh. 

She loves making people laugh and values her ability to connect with anyone, anywhere. Making people feel seen is what matters most to her. 

For Laulauga Tausaga-Collins, the sky’s the limit. The best may still be ahead — not just as an athlete, but as a coach, mentor and voice in the sport she loves.