Background
Tuimoloau grew up in Oxnard, California.
Tuimoloau grew up in Oxnard, California.
She represented American Samoa at the 1995 Pacific Ocean Games, earning a silver medal in the shot put, the only such medal for her country. Since the age of 9, she excelled in basketball because she was always the largest in her class, a trend that brought her to the height of 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) 310 pounds by the age of 18. She eventually played for Channel Islands High School where she was All-County in basketball.
Looking for a sport to play in the springtime, she thought she would play softball but a friend invited her to try out for the track team
The first time she threw a shot put, it went 11.89 m (39 ft 0 in). She continued to improve, by her senior year she set the Ventura County record in both the shot put at 14.99 m (49 ft 2 in) and the discus at 44.20 m (145 ft 0 in).
She was touted as a potential Olympian while she attended Ventura College, but became academically ineligible while taking care of her father who suffered a massive heart attack at age 40. Returning to school, she set the still standing school records in both shot put and discus in 1996.
She continued her education in Criminal Justice at California State University, Los Los Angeles
She eventually settled in Eureka, California.