Transcript
Captain Osea Kolinisau scored the first of Fiji's seven tries in the final and says what they have achieved is still sinking in.
"It's so unreal right now. The boys are just thankful, we're praying and thanking the lord. Up on the podium I told the boys, "is this really happening, did we just finish and win a gold medal," and we're just ecstatic right now."
The match was effectively over after ten minutes as the World Series champions blitzed the Brits with five unanswered tries to lead 29-0 at halftime. Osea Kolinisau says their success has been a long time in the making.
"They are a bunch of talented boys that are willing to work hard. We worked hard for three years and we worked hard for eight weeks prior to these Olympics and we told each other that we needed to go and win our first medal but we needed to go and work really hard."
Fiji Rugby's Director of Women's sevens, Chris Cracknell, is an assistant coach with the men's team and says they delivered when it mattered most.
"Nothing much changed how we wanted to play really, we just executed in the final, and sometimes everything goes your way and in that final definitely the first half it did and the first couple of minutes in the second half as well it went our way. I just can't believe it - it's a dream come true and these boys are an absolutely amazing bunch of rugby players, bunch of men and they're heroes for their country now."
Speaking from Rio, Fiji's chef de mission, Cathy Wong, says the golden victory is an incredible feeling.
"The whole of Fiji actually came to a standstill to watch this - we've been having feedback from the people back home. The support we have gotten here in Rio has been just phenomenal. The boys have performed incredible incredible - way above what we expected. Our mission was to come in and win a medal but having gold that was just the icing on the cake."
Cathy Wong, says Fiji cannot match the budgets of bigger nations but showed that money isn't everything.
"It's no secret that Fiji, we had problems with finance...but despite that what Ben (Ryan) has done, he has brought in an atmosphere of professionalism, he has brought in an atmosphere of first rugby is what we do everyday at home and to transform our love for rugby into what we now have delivered at the professional level it all goes back to if you want to do it, you can do it and you will do it."
The medal is just the second for a Pacific Island nation, after Tongan boxer Paea Wolfgramm's silver medal in Atlanta 20 years ago. Fiji's prime minister, Frank Bainimarama, says it's a wonderful moment in the country's history and every Fijian is rejoicing at home and around the world. He gave special thanks to coach Ben Ryan and captain Osea Kolinisau for their inspiring leadership and says a wonderful reception awaits the team when they arrive back in Fiji next Sunday.
