Fiji, a sunny island set in the sea, declares Public Holiday after first Olympic Gold win

Fuyoh.

Belmont Lay | August 13, 2016, 03:08 PM

Fiji, ahem, also a fellow sunny island set in the sea, exploded with elation on Thursday after the island nation won its first-ever Olympic gold medal.

Their men's Olympic sevens rugby team were crowned champions after crushing Britain 43-7 in the final of the inaugural tournament in 2016 Rio.

With a population of around 900,000, Fiji has all along punched above its weight in international rugby, especially in the sevens game and where rugby is considered one of the religions in the South Pacific nation.

Fiji Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama declared a national holiday on Aug. 22 to mark the momentous achievement.

“We are all proud to be Fijians right now,” Bainimarama added.

Bainimarama also said the inclusion of rugby in the Olympics for the first time since 1924 had "propped up" smaller nations like his.

The Fiji team is expected to be rewarded for their triumph, which is riding on the back-to-back wins at the world series in the last two years

However, the prime minister said: "They were not like this one, this is the Olympics."

Bainimarama also said he hoped his country would soon get back to work after the appropriate amount of celebrating. “They’re all celebrating, they’ve been celebrating for the last three days,” he said referring to scenes back home.

He also said: "Our productivity has been nil in the last couple of days, but hopefully the GDP will go in up in the next couple of weeks."

Hundreds of thousands of people across the rugby-obsessed country had tuned in to watch the match "live".

Businesses even suspended operations temporarily to allow employees a chance to watch the potentially historic game.

Source Source

 

Related articles:

Tan Chuan-Jin captures tender moment of Schooling speaking to his dad on the phone

4D number 5039 is sold out because Joseph Schooling

Few months of neglect later, lady’s Tinder match is now Olympic Gold medallist Joseph Schooling

17 moments from Singapore’s first-ever Olympic Gold medal ceremony that will live on in our hearts forever

Singapore congratulates Joseph Schooling on his Historic Olympic win

40 thoughts S’poreans must have had while watching the historic swim by Joseph Schooling live

Watching Joseph Schooling sing Majulah Singapura is even more awesome than winning an Olympic Gold medal

Joseph Schooling sets Olympic record, clinches Singapore’s first Olympic gold medal ever

 

If you like what you read, follow us on Facebook and Twitter to get the latest updates.