National rugby men’s sevens head coach Osea Kolinisau has urged the Team Fiji athletes to relish the opportunity of representing the country at the world’s biggest sporting stage.
Speaking to the Team Fiji contingent during their first devotion at the Paris Games Village, Kolinisau shared from the Bible on Ecclesiastes 3:1, “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.”
The Fiji men’s rugby sevens team is the defending Olympic Games gold medal winner. The Fijians won the gold medal at the Rio Olympics 2016 and again at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
Joining the men’s rugby sevens team at the devotion were our athletes from athletics, swimming and table tennis. The Taekwondo athletes reported to the Games Village in the weekend after attending competitions in South Korea.
Meanwhile, Consultant National Programme manager for 7s rugby, Gareth Baber believes the men’s team stands a good chance of doing well.
“I know people will be worried about Fiji, given their track record,” he said.
“There’s work to be done there, but they certainly can win a medal. The country is steeped in sevens rugby and they’ve consistently produce some players who can really do something.”
Baber said New Zealand would be positioning themselves as real medal contenders too.
“I’d also back France to do well, but their major challenge is constructing a frame to help their players do their best stuff in front of their crowd,” he added.
The men’s sevens rugby competition starts on July 24 before the Olympic Games official opening on July 26.
Fixtures (Fiji time)
- Thursday, July 25, 3.30am:
- Fiji v Uruguay; 6.30am Fiji v USA.
- Friday, July 26, 1.30am:
- Fiji v France.
Feedback: leonec@fijisun.com.fj
