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FIJI AND AUSTRALIA STRIKE GOLD IN RIOBELOWFiji celebrate their historic gold medal with coach Ben RyanThat was nothing to do with arrogance, far from it because a more modest bunch you could not wish to meet, just an expectancy from the people back home that they would once again do their country proud and deliver on sport’s biggest stage.Given the competitiveness of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series in the lead-up to Rio 2016 – six countries shared the 10 Cup titles – Fiji knew that they would have their work cut out to finish on top of the podium, a position taken a few days earlier by Australia’s women after a classic final against trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand.Like Fiji’s men, Australia’s women went to Rio as series champions but they got off to an inauspicious start, drawing 12-12 against a USA side who had surprisingly fallen to Fijiana in their opening match. Otherwise, results at the Deodoro Stadium went largely to form in the women’s competition from 6-8 August. The top four seeds all made it through to the semi-finals, where Australia were first to guarantee a medal with a 17-5 win against Canada, before New Zealand saw off Great Britain, 25-7. The first Olympic sevens medal match ended with Canada beating Team GB to take bronze, Ghislaine Landry scoring two tries in a 33-10 win. Two familiar foes then locked horns in the gold medal match and the game-changing moment in an evenly-balanced affair came when New Zealand speedster Portia Woodman received a yellow card. Australia took control with tries from Evania Pelite, Ellia Green and Charlotte Caslick enough to withstand a late fight-back from New Zealand, the 24-17 victory ensuring they claimed the first Olympic gold medal for sevens.There was also cause for hosts Brazil to celebrate as victory in the ninth place play-off against Japan gave them the final core team place on the 2016-17 series.For Fiji, the thought of returning home from the Olympic Games without a gold medal around their necks was one they dared not contemplate.INSPIRE | OLYMPIC REVIEW