# Fiji at the 2016 Summer Olympics

Fiji competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 5 to 21 August 2016. Since the nation's debut in 1956, Fijian athletes had taken part in every edition of the Summer Olympic Games, except for two occasions. Fiji failed to register any athletes at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, and joined the American-led boycott when Moscow hosted the 1980 Summer Olympics.
Fiji Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee sent the nation's largest delegation to the Games, due to the attendance of the men's football and rugby sevens teams. A total of 54 athletes, 37 men and 17 women, and 35 officials were registered to the Fijian squad across ten different sports. There was only a single competitor in archery, boxing, judo, shooting, and table tennis, the country's sporting debut apart from the rugby sevens.
The Fijian team featured a number of returning Olympians, including archer Rob Elder, javelin thrower Leslie Copeland, swimmer Matelita Buadromo (women's 200 m freestyle), weightlifter Manueli Tulo (men's 56 kg), and judoka Josateki Naulu (men's 81 kg). 53-year-old trap shooter Glenn Kable, who had competed in every edition since 2004, was the oldest and most experienced member of the team, with 17-year-old table tennis player Sally Yee rounding out the field as the youngest member. Rugby sevens team captain Osea Kolinisau was selected as Fiji's flag bearer for the opening ceremony.
Fiji earned its first ever Olympic medal at these Games, with a gold from the men's rugby sevens team (led by Kolinisau).

## Medalists

| Medal | Name | Sport | Event | Date |
| Gold | Fiji national rugby sevens team Jasa VeremaluaKitione TaligaSemi KunataniLeone NakarawaOsea KolinisauJerry TuwaiSamisoni ViriviriApisai DomolailaiJosua TuisovaViliame MataVatemo RavouvouSavenaca RawacaMasivesi Dakuwaqa | Rugby sevens | Men's tournament | 11 August |

## Archery

One Fijian archer qualified for the men's individual recurve at the Olympics with a top two finish at the Oceania Qualification Tournament in Nuku'alofa.
Three-time Olympian Rob Elder scored a personal best of 635 during the qualification round to obtain a fifty-sixth position, before he was beaten three straight set by world no. 9 archer Wei Chun-heng of Chinese Taipei in his opening match.
| Athlete | Event | Ranking round | Ranking round | Round of 64 | Round of 32 | Round of 16 | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Final / BM | Final / BM |
| Athlete | Event | Score | Seed | Opposition Score | Opposition Score | Opposition Score | Opposition Score | Opposition Score | Opposition Score | Rank |
| Rob Elder | Men's individual | 635 | 56 | Wei C-h (TPE) L 0–6 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |

## Athletics

Fiji received two universality places from IAAF to compete in the Olympics. These places were awarded to London 2012 javelin thrower and 2015 Pacific Games gold medalist Leslie Copeland, and sprinter Sisilia Seavula in the women's 100 metres.
Seavula was among the fastest sprinters to progress beyond the prelims, but she finished eighth in the heats, resulting to her elimination. Meanwhile, Copeland threw a best of 76.04 m to obtain the thirty-second position in the qualifying round of the men's javelin throw, unable to improve upon his thirteenth-place feat four years earlier in London.

### Key

* Note–Ranks given for track events are within the athlete's heat only
* Q = Qualified for the next round
* q = Qualified for the next round as a fastest loser or, in field events, by position without achieving the qualifying target
* NR = National record
* N/A = Round not applicable for the event
* Bye = Athlete not required to compete in round
* NM = No mark

### Track & road events

| Athlete | Event | Heat | Heat | Quarterfinal | Quarterfinal | Semifinal | Semifinal | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | Result | Rank | Result | Rank | Result | Rank | Result | Rank |
| Sisilia Seavula | Women's 100 m | 12.34 | 2 Q | 12.48 | 8 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |

### Field events

| Athlete | Event | Qualification | Qualification | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | Distance | Position | Distance | Position |
| Leslie Copeland | Men's javelin throw | 76.04 | 32 | Did not advance | Did not advance |

## Boxing

Fiji received an invitation from the Tripartite Commission to send a male boxer competing in the welterweight division to the Games, signifying the nation's return to the sport for the first time since 1988. 2015 Pacific Games silver medalist Winston Hill lost his opening round bout to Armenia's Vladimir Margaryan through a unanimous decision, with the judges scored 3–0, in favor of the latter boxer.
| Athlete | Event | Round of 32 | Round of 16 | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Rank |
| Winston Hill | Men's welterweight | Margaryan (ARM) L 0–3 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |

## Football
### Men's tournament

Fiji men's football team qualified for the Olympics by winning the Olympic qualifying final at the 2015 Pacific Games Football Tournament in Papua New Guinea.

#### Team roster

On 8 July, the Fiji Football Association announced a 24-man preliminary squad for the men's football tournament of the 2016 Summer Olympics. On 16 July, the final 18-man squad was officially announced. However, Kolinio Sivoki and Sakaraia Naisua were axed from the squad due to disciplinary reasons and Joseph Turagabeci joined the squad as a replacement.
Head coach: Frank Farina
| No. | Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | 2016 club |
| 1 | 1GK | Simione Tamanisau* | (1982-06-05)5 June 1982 (aged 34) | 0 | 0 | Rewa |
| 2 | 2DF | Praneel Naidu | (1995-01-29)29 January 1995 (aged 21) | 0 | 0 | Ba |
| 3 | 2DF | Filipe Baravilala | (1994-11-25)25 November 1994 (aged 21) | 0 | 0 | Suva |
| 4 | 2DF | Jale Dreloa | (1995-04-21)21 April 1995 (aged 21) | 0 | 0 | Suva |
| 5 | 3MF | Antonio Tuivuna | (1995-03-20)20 March 1995 (aged 21) | 0 | 0 | Nadi |
| 6 | 4FW | Anish Khem | (1993-09-27)27 September 1993 (aged 22) | 0 | 0 | Nadi |
| 7 | 3MF | Nickel Chand | (1995-07-28)28 July 1995 (aged 21) | 0 | 0 | Suva |
| 8 | 4FW | Setareki Hughes | (1995-06-08)8 June 1995 (aged 21) | 0 | 0 | Rewa |
| 9 | 4FW | Roy Krishna* (c) | (1987-08-30)30 August 1987 (aged 28) | 0 | 0 | Wellington Phoenix |
| 10 | 3MF | Ratu Nakalevu | (1994-03-07)7 March 1994 (aged 22) | 0 | 0 | Rewa |
| 11 | 2DF | Alvin Singh* | (1988-06-09)9 June 1988 (aged 28) | 0 | 0 | Ba |
| 12 | 3MF | Tevita Waranaivalu | (1995-09-16)16 September 1995 (aged 20) | 0 | 0 | Rewa |
| 13 | 4FW | Iosefo Verevou | (1996-05-01)1 May 1996 (aged 20) | 0 | 0 | Rewa |
| 14 | 4FW | Samuela Nabenia | (1995-02-09)9 February 1995 (aged 21) | 0 | 0 | Ba |
| 15 | 4FW | Saula Waqa | (1995-12-10)10 December 1995 (aged 20) | 0 | 0 | Ba |
| 16 | 3MF | Joseph Turagabeci | (1994-11-19)19 November 1994 (aged 21) | 0 | 0 | Suva |
| 18 | 1GK | Shaneel Naidu | (1995-03-28)28 March 1995 (aged 21) | 0 | 0 | Dreketi |
* Over-aged player.

#### Group play

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | South Korea | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 3 | +9 | 7 | Quarter-finals |
| 2 | Germany | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 15 | 5 | +10 | 5 | Quarter-finals |
| 3 | Mexico | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 4 | +3 | 4 | |
| 4 | Fiji | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 23 | −22 | 0 | |

## Judo

Fiji qualified one judoka for the men's light-middleweight category (81 kg) at the Games. London 2012 Olympian Josateki Naulu earned a continental quota spot from the Oceania region as the highest-ranked Fijian judoka outside of direct qualifying position in the IJF World Ranking List of 30 May 2016. Naulu received a bye in the opening round, before facing Uzbekistan's Shakhzodbek Sabirov for his first match of the meet. He seized an early lead by scoring a yuko, until Sabirov clutched him on the tatami with a soto makikomi (outer wraparound) to score an ippon for a victory at one minute and thirty-one seconds, resulting to Naulu's defeat.
| Athlete | Event | Round of 64 | Round of 32 | Round of 16 | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Repechage | Final / BM | Final / BM |
| Athlete | Event | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Rank |
| Josateki Naulu | Men's −81 kg | Bye | Sabirov (UZB) L 001–100 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |

## Rugby sevens
### Men's tournament

The Fijian men's rugby sevens team qualified for the Olympics by having achieved one of the top four places at the 2014–15 Sevens World Series.

#### Team roster

The following is the Fiji roster in the men's rugby sevens tournament of the 2016 Summer Olympics.
Head coach: Ben Ryan
| No. | Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Events | Points | Union |
| 1 | FW | Apisai Domolailai | (1989-04-16)16 April 1989 (aged 27) | 20 | 117 | Daveta |
| 2 | FW | Jasa Veremalua | (1988-05-29)29 May 1988 (aged 28) | 24 | 255 | Red Rock |
| 3 | FW | Semi Kunatani | (1990-10-27)27 October 1990 (aged 25) | 19 | 295 | Toulouse |
| 4 | FW | Viliame Mata | (1991-10-22)22 October 1991 (aged 24) | 9 | 55 | Edinburgh |
| 5 | FW | Leone Nakarawa | (1988-04-02)2 April 1988 (aged 28) | 7 | 35 | Racing 92 |
| 6 | BK | Kitione Taliga | (1993-04-21)21 April 1993 (aged 23) | 9 | 183 | Wardens |
| 7 | BK | Osea Kolinisau (c) | (1985-11-17)17 November 1985 (aged 30) | 52 | 1,026 | Covenant Brothers |
| 8 | BK | Josua Tuisova | (1994-02-04)4 February 1994 (aged 22) | 2 | 30 | Toulon |
| 9 | BK | Jerry Tuwai | (1989-03-23)23 March 1989 (aged 27) | 18 | 222 | Daveta |
| 10 | BK | Samisoni Nasagavesi | (1988-04-25)25 April 1988 (aged 28) | 24 | 520 | Montauban |
| 11 | BK | Savenaca Rawaca | (1991-08-20)20 August 1991 (aged 24) | 16 | 385 | Saracens |
| 12 | BK | Vatemo Ravouvou | (1990-07-31)31 July 1990 (aged 26) | 12 | 542 | Westfield Dragons |
| 13 | FW | Masivesi Dakuwaqa | (1994-02-14)14 February 1994 (aged 22) | 5 | 55 | Westfield Dragons |

#### Group play

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Fiji | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 85 | 45 | +40 | 9 | Quarter-finals |
| 2 | Argentina | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 62 | 35 | +27 | 7 | Quarter-finals |
| 3 | United States | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 59 | 41 | +18 | 5 | |
| 4 | Brazil | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 97 | −85 | 3 | |
* 9 August 2016 13:30
| Fiji | 40–12 | Brazil |
| Try: Veremalua (2) 6' c, 12' c Kolinisau 8' c Tuisova (2) 9' m, 13' c Viriviri 10' c Con: Kolinisau (2/2) Ravouvou (3/4) | Report (Rio 2016) Report (World Rugby) | Try: Claro 4' m Albuquerque 14' c Con: Duque (0/1) A. Silva (1/1) |
* Deodoro Stadium, Rio de Janeiro Referee: Federico Anselmi (Argentina)
* 9 August 2016 18:30
| Fiji | 21–14 | Argentina |
| Try: Tuisova 2' c Taliga (2) 11' c, 12' c Con: Ravouvou (1/1) Kolinisau (2/2) | Report (Rio 2016) Report (World Rugby) | Try: Sábato 5' c Álvarez 8' c Con: Revol (2/2) |
* Deodoro Stadium, Rio de Janeiro Referee: Rasta Rasivhenge (South Africa)
* 10 August 2016 13:30
| Fiji | 24–19 | United States |
| Try: Kolinisau 6' c Ravouvou 7' m Mata 9' c Kunatani 12' m Con: Kolinisau (2/3) Ravouvou (0/1) | Report | Try: Barrett 4' c Baker 8' c Ebner 13' m Con: Hughes (2/3) |
* Deodoro Stadium, Rio de Janeiro Referee: Richard Kelly (New Zealand)

#### Quarterfinal

* 10 August 2016 17:00
| Fiji | 12–7 | New Zealand |
| Try: Kolinisau 2' m Tuwai 8' c Con: Ravouvou (0/1) Kolinisau (1/1) | Report (Rio 2016) Report (World Rugby) | Try: Kaka 6' c Con: Pulu (1/1) |
* Deodoro Stadium, Rio de Janeiro Referee: Rasta Rasivhenge (South Africa)

#### Semifinal

* 11 August 2016 14:30
| Fiji | 20–5 | Japan |
| Try: Ravouvou 1' m Tuisova 6' m Kunatani 9' m Tuwai 10' m Con: Ravouvou (0/3) Kolinisau (0/1) | Report (Rio 2016) Report (World Rugby) | Try: Goto 4' m Con: Lemeki (0/1) |
* Deodoro Stadium, Rio de Janeiro Referee: Mike Adamson (Great Britain)

#### Gold medal match

* 11 August 2016 19:00
| Fiji | 43–7 | Great Britain |
| Try: Kolinisau 1' m Tuwai 3' c Veremalua 7' m Nakarawa 8' m Ravouvou 10' c Tuisova 14' c Mata 19' c Con: Ravouvou (1/2) Kolinisau (2/4) Taliga (1/1) | Report (Rio 2016) Report (World Rugby) | Try: Norton 16' c Con: Watson (1/1) |
* Deodoro Stadium, Rio de Janeiro Referee: Rasta Rasivhenge (South Africa)
Team details :
| Fiji | Great Britain |
| P | 3 | Semi Kunatani |
| L | 5 | Leone Nakarawa |
| H | 2 | Jasa Veremalua |
| FL | 7 | Osea Kolinisau (c) |
| FH | 10 | Samisoni Viriviri |
| C | 12 | Masivesi Dakuwaqa |
| SH | 9 | Seremaia Tuwai |
| Substitutes: ||
| P | 1 | Apisai Domolailai |
| L | 4 | Viliame Mata |
| N | 8 | Josua Tuisova |
| FL | 6 | Kitione Taliga |
| Head Coach: ||
| Ben Ryan ||
| P | 3 | Phil Burgess |
| N | 8 | James Davies |
| L | 5 | James Rodwell |
| C | 12 | Mark Bennett |
| FL | 7 | Dan Bibby |
| FL | 6 | Tom Mitchell (c) |
| L | 4 | Dan Norton |
| Substitutes: ||
| FH | 10 | Sam Cross |
| SH | 9 | Ollie Lindsay-Hague |
| P | 1 | Mark Robertson |
| W | 11 | Marcus Watson |
| H | 2 | Ruaridh McConnochie |
| Head Coach: ||
| Simon Amor ||

### Women's tournament

The Fijian women's rugby sevens team qualified for the Olympics by winning the 2015 FORU Women's Sevens Championships.

#### Team roster

The following is the Fiji roster in the women's rugby sevens tournament of the 2016 Summer Olympics.
Head coach: Chris Cracknell
| Backs | Backs | Forwards | Forwards |
| 3 | Raijieli Daveau | 1 | Litia Naiqato |
| 4 | Asena Rokomarama | 2 | Merewai Cumu |
| 7 | Rusila Nagasau | 5 | Timaima Tamoi |
| 8 | Lavenia Tinai | 6 | Rebecca Tavo |
| 9 | Ana Maria Roqica (c) | 13 | Jiowana Sauto |
| 10 | Viniana Riwai | | |
| 11 | Luisa Tisolo | | |
| 12 | Timaima Ravisa | | |
* Jiowana Sauto was included in the day 3 squad after Daveau was injured in day 2.

#### Group play

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Australia | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 101 | 12 | +89 | 8 | Quarter-finals |
| 2 | Fiji | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 48 | 43 | +5 | 7 | Quarter-finals |
| 3 | United States | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 67 | 24 | +43 | 6 | Quarter-finals |
| 4 | Colombia | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 137 | −137 | 3 | |
* 6 August 2016 13:00
| United States | 7–12 | Fiji |
| Try: Kelter 10' c Con: Baravilala (1/1) | Report (Rio 2016) Report (World Rugby) | Try: Tisolo 4' c Ravisa 8' m Con: Tisolo (1/2) |
* Deodoro Stadium, Rio de Janeiro Referee: Rasta Rasivhenge (South Africa)
* 6 August 2016 18:30
| Australia | 36–0 | Fiji |
| Try: Cherry 1' c Tonegato (2) 4' m, 13' c Caslick 5' c Green 10' m Dalton 14' m Con: Dalton (3/6) | Report (Rio 2016) Report (World Rugby) | |
* Deodoro Stadium, Rio de Janeiro Referee: Sara Cox (Great Britain)
* 7 August 2016 13:00
| Fiji | 36–0 | Colombia |
| Try: Daveau (2) 1' c, 3' m Tinai 5' c Roqica 7' m Riwai 9' c Nagasau 14' m Con: Tinai (2/4) Riwai (1/1) Tisolo (0/1) | Report (Rio 2016) Report (World Rugby) | |
* Deodoro Stadium, Rio de Janeiro Referee: Rose Labreche (Canada)

#### Quarterfinal

* 7 August 2016 18:00
| Great Britain | 26–7 | Fiji |
| Try: Brown (2) 1' c, 12' c Richardson 4' c Waterman 7' m Con: McLean (3/4) | Report (Rio 2016) Report (World Rugby) | Try: Naiqato 3' c Con: Tinai (1/1) |
* Deodoro Stadium, Rio de Janeiro Referee: Alhambra Nievas (Spain)

#### Classification semifinal (5–8)

* 8 August 2016 14:00
| Fiji | 7–12 | United States |
| Try: Tavo 4' c Con: Tinai (1/1) | Report (Rio 2016) Report (World Rugby) | Try: Kelter 10' c Stephens 12' m Con: Kelter (1/1) Baravilala (0/1) |
* Deodoro Stadium, Rio de Janeiro Referee: Jess Beard (New Zealand)

#### Seventh place match

* 8 August 2016 17:30
| Spain | 21–0 | Fiji |
| Try: P. García 3' c Erbina 5' c Etxebarría 7' c Con: P. García (3/3) | Report (Rio 2016) Report (World Rugby) | |
* Deodoro Stadium, Rio de Janeiro Referee: Beatrice Benvenuti (Italy)

## Shooting

Fiji qualified one shooter in the men's trap by securing one of the available Olympic berths at the 2015 Oceania Continental Championships in Sydney, Australia.
| Athlete | Event | Qualification | Qualification | Semifinal | Semifinal | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | Points | Rank | Points | Rank | Points | Rank |
| Glenn Kable | Men's trap | 112 | 23 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |

## Swimming

Fiji received a Universality invitation from FINA to send two swimmers (one male and one female) to the Olympics.
| Athlete | Event | Heat | Heat | Semifinal | Semifinal | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | Time | Rank | Time | Rank | Time | Rank |
| Meli Malani | Men's 50 m freestyle | 23.88 | 51 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Matelita Buadromo | Women's 200 m freestyle | 2:05.49 | 40 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |

## Table tennis

Fiji entered one athlete into the table tennis competition at the Games for the first time in the nation's Olympic history. Sally Yee secured a spot in the women's singles by virtue of her top three finish at the 2016 Oceania Qualification Tournament in Bendigo, Australia.
| Athlete | Event | Preliminary | Round 1 | Round 2 | Round 3 | Round of 16 | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Final / BM | Final / BM |
| Athlete | Event | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Rank |
| Sally Yee | Women's singles | Edem (NGR) L 0–4 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |

## Weightlifting

Fiji qualified one male and one female weightlifter for the Rio Olympics by virtue of a top five national finish (for men) and top four (for women), respectively, at the 2016 Oceania Championships. The team must allocate these places to individual athletes by 20 June 2016.
| Athlete | Event | Snatch | Snatch | Clean & Jerk | Clean & Jerk | Total | Rank |
| Athlete | Event | Result | Rank | Result | Rank | Total | Rank |
| Manueli Tulo | Men's −56 kg | 106 | 16 | 136 | 13 | 242 | 13 |
| Apolonia Vaivai | Women's −69 kg | 88 | 15 | 113 | 11 | 201 | 11 |