Fiji, which is being tested in a coronavirus pandemic, experienced a spontaneous outburst of joy on Wednesday after a national team of rugby players defended Olympic gold in sevens. Residents of a small island nation in the South Pacific violated the curfew during the celebrations, dancing and singing in the streets, waving flags from cars and firing flares.
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They celebrated the Olympic triumph of the rugby players in Fiji.
Siphiwe Sibeko, Reuters
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Fiji is facing a serious spread of the disease, with only 900,000 people having more than 25,000 infected and 200 deaths. Authorities have sought to help the congested health system by introducing a curfew from 6pm to 4am to curb the spread of the virus.
Thanks to their rugby heroes, the Fijians forgot about the coronavirus limitations, at least for a while. Five years ago in Rio de Janeiro, they won the country’s first Olympic medal in history and defended their gold in Tokyo after a final 27:12 victory over New Zealand.
“During the last Olympics, we gathered in large numbers, tears flowing and bells rang. Now during the pandemic and the curfew, pots and pans sounded, fireworks flew out of the yards and chants were heard from all the houses,” TV presenter Jaquee Speight wrote on Twitter.
Fiji had a commemorative seven-dollar bill printed in Fiji after the historic triumph in Rio, and Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama did not resist the idea that a $ 14 bill could celebrate the defense of gold in the sevens.
“This win is over gold for all Fijians. They love this game, it has always united us. It shows that we can achieve great things no matter what stands in our way, no matter what the covid,” said Bainimarama, who did not miss the fact that the victory of the rugby players led to a violation of the curfew. “But no one seems to mind. Everyone in Fiji is happy that the boys won gold,” he added.
Fiji rugbyists defeated New Zealand in Tokyo and defended Olympic gold
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