Fiji goes wild over Olympic sevens gold medal win

FIJI – There have been scenes of jubilation in Fiji after the country won its first Olympic medal – a gold in the inaugural men’s rugby sevens competition.

Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama – who was in the crowed at Rio’s Deodoro Stadium – said the gold medal win was a wonderful moment in Fiji’s history.

“Never before has the Fijian spirit soared so high as it does today. Never have we stood so tall as a nation,” Bainimarama said in a statement.

Not only is it Fiji’s first medal, but also the first time a small Pacific nation has won Olympic gold, and the win is being celebrated around the region.

The Fiji governemnt has already announced a public holiday on August 22 to celebrate the sevens team’s historic gold medal win in the Rio Olympics.

Acting Prime Minister and Attorney-General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum said the Prime Minister’s Office and the Fiji Rugby Union have started discussion on how the national celebrations would be staged.

Sayed-Khaiyum said the win was a wonderful achievement and occasion for the country.

The Fiji men’s sevens team, which for all intent and purposes thrashed Great Britain 43-7 in the final of the first-ever Olympics sevens competition.

So strong were Fiji that the commentators were virtually celebrating Fiji’s gold medal just minutes into the start of the match.

They dominated from the outset, leading 29-0 at half-time, with captain Osea Kolinisau scoring three tries.

As the final whistle sounded to mark the end of the game, people took to the streets of Suva with the Fiji flag, dancing and running from one end of town to the other, the Fiji Times reports.

Some people even stopped their vehicles on the busy streets of Suva and got out with Fiji flags to join the celebrations, not paying much heed to the traffic jam they caused.

As the celebrations continue unabated across Fiji fans are calling for team coach Ben Ryan and his family to be given Fijian citizenship.

Prime Minister Bainimarama has made the most of the moment to imbed the Olympic win into Fiji’s national psyche.

“This is a wonderful moment in the history of our nation. We have won our first Gold Medal at a summer Olympic Games and every Fijian is rejoicing at home and around the world,” he said.

“I especially want to thank coach Ben Ryan and team captain Osea Kolinisau for their inspiring leadership. It has been a great privilege for me as Prime Minister to be present in Rio De Janeiro on behalf of the Fijian people to provide our collective encouragement and support.

“I have witnessed at first hand the commitment and discipline that has produced this victory and have been deeply impressed and proud.

“A wonderful reception awaits our boys when they arrive back in Fiji. Never before has the Fijian spirit soared so high as it does today. Never have we stood so tall as a nation.

“So let us rededicate ourselves to the task of building our beloved Fiji. One nation, one people, playing an even greater role in the region and the world.”

- PNC sources