Fiji at the Olympics

Last updated
Fiji at the
Olympics
Flag of Fiji.svg
IOC code FIJ
NOC Fiji Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee
Website www.fasanoc.org.fj
Medals
Ranked 95th
Gold
2
Silver
1
Bronze
1
Total
4
Summer appearances
Winter appearances

Fiji made its Olympic Games debut at the 1956 Summer Games. It has competed at fourteen Summer Games and three Winter Games. Its athletes have taken part in archery, athletics, boxing, football, judo, sailing, shooting, swimming, weightlifting and rugby sevens. [1]

Contents

Fiji has won four Olympic medals, three in men's rugby sevens, and one in women's rugby sevens. Olympics rugby was first contested in 2016 and the Fiji men's team is the most successful of any country, winning gold in 2016 and 2020, and silver in 2024. The women's team won bronze in 2020.

History

Qualifications

Prior to the introduction of rugby sevens, Fiji's national sport, at the 2016 Summer Olympics, [2] only two athletes had taken part in Olympic Games through reaching the required standards to qualify, rather than by receiving a wild card invitation. They are Makelesi Bulikiobo, who qualified for the women's 400 metre sprint at the 2008 Games in Beijing, and Leslie Copeland, who with a throw of 80.45 metres qualified for the men's javelin event at the 2012 Games in London. [3] [4]

Invitations

Fiji's Winter Olympians were Rusiate Rogoyawa in cross-country skiing (1988, 1994) and Laurence Thoms in alpine skiing (2002), both participating by invite.

Notable participants

Fiji has had two competitors appear at five separate Summer Olympic Games. Windsurfer Tony Philp competed in five consecutive Games from Los Angeles in 1984 (when he was just 15 years of age) to Sydney 2000, finishing 10th on two occasions. [5] Swimmer Carl Probert matched the feat in Beijing 2008, having first appeared at the 1992 Summer Olympics at Barcelona. [6]

Medalling

Fiji earned its first ever Olympic medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, a gold in men's rugby sevens. [7] The team broke out in a victory song that drew considerable online attention and Fiji declared a national holiday for the win. [8]

At the 2020 Olympics the team successfully defended its title, while the women's team took a bronze medal. At the 2024 Olympics the men's team won the silver medal.

Medal tables

Medals by Summer sport

SportGoldSilverBronzeTotal
Rugby Sevens pictogram.svg  Rugby sevens 2114
Totals (1 entries)2114

List of medalists

Summer sports

MedalName(s)GamesSportEvent
Gold medal icon.svg Gold Apisai Domolailai
Jasa Veremalua
Jerry Tuwai
Josua Tuisova
Kitione Taliga
Leone Nakarawa
Masivesi Dakuwaqa
Osea Kolinisau
Samisoni Viriviri
Savenaca Rawaca
Vatemo Ravouvou
Viliame Mata
Semi Kunatani
2016 Rio de Janeiro Rugby pictogram.svg Rugby Sevens Men's tournament
Gold medal icon.svg Gold Josua Vakurunabili
Iosefo Masi
Jiuta Wainiqolo
Meli Derenalagi
Jerry Tuwai
Napolioni Bolaca
Sireli Maqala
Kalione Nasoko
Asaeli Tuivuaka
Vilimoni Botitu
Waisea Nacuqu
Aminiasi Tuimaba
2020 Tokyo Rugby pictogram.svg Rugby Sevens Men's tournament
Bronze medal icon.svg Bronze Vasiti Solikoviti
Sesenieli Donu
Raijieli Daveua
Rusila Nagasau
Ana Maria Roqica
Reapi Ulunisau
Lavena Cavuru
Laisana Likuceva
Viniana Riwai
Alowesi Nakoci
Ana Naimasi
Roela Radiniyavuni
Lavenia Tinai
2020 Tokyo Rugby pictogram.svg Rugby Sevens Women's tournament
Silver medal icon.svg Silver Joji Nasova
Joseva Talacolo
Jerry Matana
Sevuloni Mocenacagi

Iosefo Masi
Ponepati Loganimasi
Terio Tamani
Waisea Nacuqu
Jerry Tuwai
Iowane Teba
Kaminieli Rasaku
Selestino Ravutaumada
Josaia Raisuqe
Filipe Sauturaga

2024 Paris Rugby pictogram.svg Rugby Sevens Men's tournament

Multiple medalists

AthleteSexSportYearsGamesGoldSilverBronzeTotal
Jerry Tuwai MRugby Sevens pictogram.svg  Rugby sevens 2016–2024Summer2103
Iosefo Masi MRugby Sevens pictogram.svg  Rugby sevens 2020–2024Summer1102
Waisea Nacuqu MRugby Sevens pictogram.svg  Rugby sevens 2020–2024Summer1102

See also

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canada at the Summer Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slovenia at the Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kosovo at the Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fiji at the 2008 Summer Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fiji women's national rugby sevens team</span> Rugby team

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Africa at the 2016 Summer Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Semi Kunatani</span> Fijian rugby union player (born 1990)

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fiji at the 2016 Summer Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

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Lavenia Tinai is a Fijian rugby union player. She represents Fiji in rugby sevens and made her debut in 2012. She was selected to represent Fiji at the 2016 Summer Olympics as a member of the Fiji women's sevens team. She is the sister of former Fiji 7's rep, Ilai Tinai.

Rusila Nagasau is a Fijian rugby union player. She plays rugby sevens for Fiji and was also a representative soccer player. She was included in the squad for the 2016 France Women's Sevens.

Ana Maria Roqica is a Fijian rugby sevens player. She is a member of the Fiji women's national rugby sevens team to the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Raijieli Daveua is a Fijian rugby sevens player. She was selected as a member of the Fiji women's national rugby sevens team to the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Viniana Naisaluwaki Riwai is a Fijian footballer, who plays as a midfielder for Rewa FC and the Fiji women's national team, and a rugby sevens player, who plays for the Fiji women's national team.

References

  1. "Fiji". Sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on 2016-08-05. Retrieved 2016-08-16.
  2. Brewer, Jerry (11 August 2016). "Fiji's rugby sevens team on the verge of making history at Rio Olympics". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  3. "The London dream" Archived 2012-09-13 at the Wayback Machine , Fiji Times , 22 August 2011
  4. Fiji at the Olympics, The Telegraph
  5. "Tony Philp". sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on 2016-05-18. Retrieved 2016-08-16.
  6. "Carl Probert". sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on 2016-12-03. Retrieved 2016-08-16.
  7. Msallem, Habib (11 August 2016). "Fiji storms to first-ever men's rugby sevens gold at Rio 2016". rio2016.com. Rio 2016. Archived from the original on 26 August 2016. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  8. "The Fijian way: The people's team delivers 1st Olympic gold". Associated Press. 12 August 2016. Retrieved 12 August 2016.