Fiji wins GOLD – First Medal of Any Kind in ANY Olympic Games!

As we await the Perseids which has been pretty much a bust here – a few meteors but no storm – we read that the Fiji men’s rugby sevens team won gold for their first medal of any kind in any Olympics.  Pursuant to the Sanders Olympic Policy, and with admittedly more excitement than the Vietnamese gold medal, here is the tout here at the VR blog!

And here’s some reports:

From the UK Guardian:

From the dusty villages of Lomaiviti to the crowded central markets of Suva, Fijians called a halt to work and school to celebrate the country’s first ever Olympic medal – gold for the men’s rugby sevens team, who beat Great Britain 43 points to seven in Rio.

In the capital revellers danced on rooftops and wove in and out of traffic waving the pale blue Fijian flag, still bedecked with their former colonists’ Union Jack.

And more Guardian:

The final aired at 10am Fijian time and thousands of people crowded into the ANZ National Stadium in Suva where the game was aired on a large public screen.

The Prime Minister indicated to the Guardian there would be a national celebration after the team returns home.

Here is a report from New Zealand with a video of cheering locals (Stuff NZ was quoting the Fiji Times):

“As the final whistle sounded to mark the end of the game, people took to the streets of Suva with the Fiji flag, dancing and running from one end to the other.

“Some people even stopped their vehicles on the busy streets of Suva and got out with Fiji flags to join the celebrations, not paying much heed to the slight traffic jam they caused.

“The celebrations will definitely continue into the weekend and the week ahead.”

And here’s the Fiji Times itself!  August 22 will be a national holiday, reports the Times!  (So if your birthday happens to be August 22 – Fiji’s the place to go this year!)

Now to the national anthem:  It’s definitely un-PC and most enjoyable to hear (not that our Olympic coverage is likely to say much about the Fiji win) it’s called God Bless Fiji.  Here it is!

Blessing Grant oh God of Nations on the isles of Fiji…as we honour and defend the cause of freedom…God Bless Fiji…For Fiji, ever Fiji, her name hail far and wide…May God Bless Fiji Forever more!

Wonderful.  Fabulous national anthem!  And certainly Fiji’s name will be hailed far and wide today – including at this blog.  Congratulations!  This certainly beats another unfair basketball blowout – for me that is.

So the victory lap is done and let’s hope for more nations to get in that first win/medal column!  Now back to the meteors…