Fiji’s top 5 moments at the Tokyo Olympics

Monday 23rd August, 2021

As the frenzy of the Tokyo Olympic Games, which wrapped up on August 8, begins to subside, it’s worth reflecting on what was perhaps Fiji’s most challenging, yet most successful Olympic campaign to date.

Team Fiji chef de mission Patrick Bower claimed, “This is perhaps our greatest achievement in sport so far, with Fiji winning two medals, a gold and a bronze in rugby sevens.”

“With COVID-19 affecting Fiji the way it has and athletes not being able to train or training away from their loved ones for five straight months, this doesn't get any sweeter.” 

Despite stumbling blocks presented by the pandemic, a total of 34 Fijian athletes jumped through all the necessary hoops, sacrificing training and time at home with their families and loved ones to compete for Team Fiji on the world stage.

Both the men’s and women’s rugby teams waged successful campaigns in the Rugby Sevens events.

Banuve Tabukaucoro competed in athletics, Tevita Takayawa in the men’s Judo Tournament, Sophia Morgan in the Laser Radial women’s sailing event, Taichi Vakasama competed in the men’s 200m breaststroke, Cheyenne Rova in the women’s 50m freestyle and Sally Yee in the Table Tennis women’s singes.

The Fijian women’s rugby team knocked out Great Britain in the Rugby Sevens Bronze Medal match to win Fiji’s first Olympic Medal in the women’s category, while the men’s team asserted their dominance over the field to successfully defend their 2016 Gold Medal. 26 members of Team Fiji were awarded Olympic Medals, in what must be considered an amazing achievement for our nation.

With the whole of Fiji behind them and the rest of the world watching, the Fijian women’s rugby team made history by winning the Bronze Medal in the Women’s Rugby Sevens event, thereby securing Fiji’s first ever Olympic Medal in the women’s category.

While the hatches have been battened down at home as we deal with the latest stage of the COVID-19 pandemic and the vaccine rollout, touching scenes were shared across social media as families, fans from all walks of life, even beleaguered frontline healthcare workers stopped to get behind our boys in the Rugby Sevens final.

Since winning Fiji’s first ever Olympic Gold Medal at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, our boys fought a tough campaign for the opportunity to successfully defend their title.

We needed a win! The men’s rugby team left nothing in the tank and snatched victory with a decisive showing in the final over a strong New Zealand team.

There were emotional scenes on the field and no doubt in homes across Fiji as the boys celebrated an amazing victory.

With its Gold Medal and Bronze Medal wins on the rugby field, Fiji finished the Tokyo Games in 59th place, equal with Estonia, Latvia and Thailand.