Well done
KUDOS to little Jerry and his gladiators for a historically golden accomplishment.
Well done team Fiji!.
Hats off to head successful coach and mentor Gareth Baber for moulding a deadly and a winning combo.
As a symbolic gesture and appreciation, I hope our good government bestows Gareth with the chiefly title of Ratu and offer him a piece of land (preferably freehold), just like they honoured former 7s coaching guru Ratu Peni Rayani. Isa, we miss you. I hope you are still holding onto your gifted land.
NISHANT SINGH Lautoka
Second 7s gold
ECSTATIC with our second gold win but the overhead dronecam really made my head spin I did not appreciate that style of filming at all it’s hard to see who actually has the ball one also cannot see the player’s faces the footage also appear to be awkward in places I hope they don’t use the drone-cam in future the game is more real in very close quarters can’t beat ga when you are close to the action especially for us in our 7s rugby nation our congrats to the boys for a wonderful performance thank you for verifying our total 7s dominance to some it may be a Mickey Mouse game but our Mickey has really brought us fame Mickey has now achieved a rugby rarity consecutive Olympics golds in 7s rugby.
EDWARD BLAKELOCK Admiral Circle, Pacific Harbour
Real buzz
SINCE the “B” word has become a real buzz in Fiji, shall I start to consider myself as a bush letter writer in
this column?
MOHAMMED IMRAZ JANIF Natabua, Lautoka
Olympics gold
A BIG vinaka vakalevu to my Fiji team for attaining that gold medal once again in the Olympics. You guys made us so proud specially when our country with others are battling this huge pandemic which has snatched the smiles of many.
Thanks for restoring those
smiles. We knew you could do it. Well done boys and once again thank you.
KIRTI PATEL Lautoka
Yes, we are the best
The best YES, we are the best. We have done it once again and proved all our critics wrong.
Rugby 7s Holy Grail is in our hand. Despite all the odds and challenges on our way, we have done it yet again.
This is only our second time
to be Olympics champions, but means so much to us.
An amazing feat for our 7s team. The huge sacrifices of the management, coaches and players have come to fruition. To be away from families and loved ones for so long has not been easy, but was worth it for what we achieved. This is such a joyful occasion for all the Fijian fans. We have been making headlines with international media singing heaps of praises, just after our win. For now the moment belongs to our 7s team.
You have made us proud.
PRANIL RAM Votualevu, Nadi
Extreme concern
I HAVE been accused by a regular contributor of being ‘extreme.’ I hope she does not need an ambulance and goes on life support when she finds out I eat crocodile, emu and camel burgers as a matter of course regularly.
JAN NISSAR NSW, Australia
COVID cases
WITH the Health Ministry confirming late last week that those who have mild symptoms can isolate at home and self-treat, with no need for a swab-test, aren’t we now under-reporting the case numbers?
BIMAL PRASAD Newtown Rd, Wailoaloa, Nadi
Voter card colour
I WILL need to check on the colour of my voter card.
NIGEL FIU Owls Perch, Lautoka
Golden win
FIJI will win gold and yes they did! The win is for all the Fijians in Fiji and abroad who are currently battling COVID-19. The win for the young and old that have perished in the pandemic.
No doubt in 2016 when a Category 5 cyclone created havoc in Fiji the boys ran out in Rio and played for Fiji and the motherland that suffered from the after effects of the cyclone.
Today the boys again like living and breathing hunger and passion to do it for Fiji as this time the many Fijians that are affected by the pandemic. I am sure everyone’s prayers and wishes just put the players to another level.
Lastly we have seen many magic mana Fiji victories from the attacking flair of the flying Fijians but this team won on the back of some ferocious tackling, defence and counter rucks and full kudos to Gareth and the team on this masterclass turnaround. I am sure the ABs and all teams faced the wreath of Tuivuaka aka Tyson and co and the muscles are aching.
Just like our Fiji Viti Times old and gold the Japan road to success makes the Times more sweeter.
Go for 2024 now, bring it on sa lave mai na rara – Joka kece Viti.
SHALWYN PRASAD Mukta Ben Place, Nabua, Suva
FIJI will win gold and yes they did! The win is for all the Fijians in Fiji and abroad who are currently battling COVID-19. The win for the young and old that have perished in the pandemic.
No doubt in 2016 when a Category 5 cyclone created havoc in Fiji the boys ran out in Rio and played for Fiji and the motherland that suffered from the after effects of the cyclone.
Today the boys again like living and breathing hunger and passion to do it for Fiji as this time the many Fijians that are affected by the pandemic. I am sure everyone’s prayers and wishes just put the players to another level.
Lastly we have seen many magic mana Fiji victories from the attacking flair of the flying Fijians but this team won on the back of some ferocious tackling, defence and counter rucks and full kudos to Gareth and the team on this masterclass turnaround. I am sure the ABs and all teams faced the wreath of Tuivuaka aka Tyson and co and the muscles are aching.
Just like our Fiji Viti Times old and gold the Japan road to success makes the Times more sweeter.
Go for 2024 now, bring it on sa lave mai na rara – Joka kece Viti.
SHALWYN PRASAD Mukta Ben Place, Nabua, Suva
FIJI will win gold and yes they did! The win is for all the Fijians in Fiji and abroad who are currently battling COVID-19. The win for the young and old that have perished in the pandemic.
No doubt in 2016 when a Category 5 cyclone created havoc in Fiji the boys ran out in Rio and played for Fiji and the motherland that suffered from the after effects of the cyclone.
Today the boys again like living and breathing hunger and passion to do it for Fiji as this time the many Fijians that are affected by the pandemic. I am sure everyone’s prayers and wishes just put the players to another level.
Lastly we have seen many magic mana Fiji victories from the attacking flair of the flying Fijians but this team won on the back of some ferocious tackling, defence and counter rucks and full kudos to Gareth and the team on this masterclass turnaround. I am sure the ABs and all teams faced the wreath of Tuivuaka aka Tyson and co and the muscles are aching.
Just like our Fiji Viti Times old and gold the Japan road to success makes the Times more sweeter.
Go for 2024 now, bring it on sa lave mai na rara – Joka kece Viti.
SHALWYN PRASAD Mukta Ben Place, Nabua, Suva
Genuine smiles
IN the midst of these profound challenges, our boys have done it again!
Putting genuine smiles on fellow Fijians at home and around the globe.
Their sheer hard work and determination to win the 7s gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics is inspirational.
We all admired how they portrayed our natural Pacific way of simplicity and humility.
Putting God first which had indeed paid-off as everything else fell into its proper place. Their humbleness in glorifying God after the victory and then graciously accepting their ‘awesome’ gold medals with “respect” is beyond comprehension.
Their brilliant win at Tokyo Stadium has reminded us that there is light at the end of the tunnel when we all work together as “Team Fiji” towards a better socio-economic recovery.
Let us continue to be humble, pray and help one another in the communities we live in. Let us be responsible citizens by obeying the safety measures that are in place and together we will win this war against the CO- VID-19 pandemic.
Congratulations and vinaka vakalevu to Jerry and the team!
SPENCER ROBINSON Suva
Proud moment
JUST before their quarter final match an Australian rugby commentator said: “Australia will have a tough task against Fiji”. Argentina in the semi final and NZ in the final found out just how tough the task was. With their fantastic combination of individual brilliance, team cohesion and leadership Fiji was unbeatable.
That’s why Fiji got gold again at the Tokyo Olympics. Fiji rugby made all Fijians, at home and abroad, very proud. Congratulations and vinaka vakalevu.
RAJEND NAIDU Sydney, Australia
Our boys claim gold
I BELIEVE yesterday’s The Fiji Times sold quite fast. The front page was a beauty, as it captured an emotional Fijian outfit with their reward from Tokyo –– the elusive gold medal that took five years to win.
I must commend and congratulate Gareth Baber, Nacanieli Cawanibuka, Jone Niurua and our gladiators for sacrificing so much to bring back gold from Tokyo. The pandemic resulted in the boys staying away from their families for almost three months, but this sacrifice was soon forgotten when they hammered the favourites –– the All Blacks in the final. The night skies were lit by fireworks.
The noise was deafening. People hugged each other, and they jumped with delight. Fiji’s flag flew proudly, as the world paid tribute to our heroes who created their own legacy–– they
became the first nation to make it back-to-back at the mecca of 7s- the Olympic Games. Booed by shaky performances against Japan 24-19 and Canada 28-14, the flamboyant and magical Fijians lifted the intensity to another level, belting Great Britain 33-7, hammering Australia 19-0, smashing Argentina 26-14 and then terrorising the All Blacks 27-12. This victory was written in the skies, as it united a 7s loving country. The editor, via his editorial (FT 29/07), summed up Fiji’s delicious win with these lines, “What a joy that was!
That was once again, one for the times, an unforgettable moment in our history. We were Olympic champions in 2016. We are still Olympic champions now. What a night! What a game! Such excitement, such joy!
Thank you for the memories!”
Toso Viti, toso!
RAJNESH ISHWAR LINGAM Nadawa, Nasinu
