Huge welcome planned for gold medal winners

FIJI – Fiji’s Prime Minister, Frank Bainimarama, said a wonderful reception awaits the sevens team when they arrive back in Fiji next Sunday.

There have been ongoing 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 Bainimarama, who was in the crowd 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.

Fiji’s Pacific neighbours have been quick to offer congratulations.

New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully said he was glad for the win especially in terms for the region.

“The win is great for the Pacific, great for Fiji and I am very happy too,” he said.

McCully said the way Fiji won was very convincing and would bring a lot of benefits for the region.

“This will show that we have this region, our strength in sport, sport becoming a very important element in international diplomacy, significant commercial activity as well.

Papua New Guinea Foreign Minister, Rimbink Pato said Fiji’s win had become great news to the region.

“We want to congratulate the Fijian Government and its people for the win in Rio,” Pato said.

“Members of the Pacific Forum are really proud of this win. Fiji has become a flag bearer for the Pacific Forum in the Olympics and we are proud of that.”

Fiji’s greatest ever sevens exponent says he’s over the moon with pride after the country created history at the Rio Olympics.

Waisale Serevi won the World Series and World Cup of Sevens during a decorated playing career and has since been inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame.

The 48 year-old retired a decade ago but admits watching his countryman win gold made him want to be out there again.

“I wish I was playing. This is the climax, this is the biggest event in the world sports calendar, the Olympics.”

“I just thank God and I thank the International Rugby Board for having faith in me and other former rugby players, going to the International Olympic Committee and bidding for rugby to be in the Olympics.”

The historic gold medal win in Rio has spurred calls for the country to keep its flag despite a government commitment to making a change from the current flag that carries the British Union Jack.

Social commentator, philanthropist and Fiji Times letters-to-the-editor contributor Allen Lockington said he was praying that government did not change the flag.

“I know from my travels around the Western Division and my interaction with people all over our beloved country that the overwhelming majority do not want the flag changed,” he said.

“Our noble banner blue has flown proudly in battlefields and in sporting arenas and last Friday it was beamed all around the world when we won our first Olympic gold. Keep the flag please.”

His views were echoed on numerous social media platforms.

The government announced plans to change the flag in February last year with the intention of hoisting the country’s new colours on the new public holiday, Constitution Day, on September 1.

- PNC sources