It was truly a historic moment when Fiji’s largest ever contingent to an Olympic Games marched through Maracanã stadium this afternoon at the opening ceremony of the 2016 Rio Olympics.
As the Team Fiji flag bearer, Fiji men’s 7s captain Osea Kolinisau was dressed in a traditional attire and led Team Fiji inside a colourful Maracana stadium.
53 athletes are representing Fiji at the Olympics.
Team Fiji was highly acknowledged as they entered the stadium.
Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama and his wife were among those cheering for Fiji as they entered the stadium.
#FIJ PM #Bainimarama and wife Mary at #Rio2016 #OpeningCeremony @FijiPM pic.twitter.com/361RHPS2K1
— Fijivillage (@fijivillage) August 5, 2016
Athletes from 206 nations and a refugee team are in Brazil to compete in 28 sports.
An estimated three billion people are watching the ceremony, which has taken five years to produce and includes 300 dancers, 5,000 volunteers and 12,000 costumes.
There will be 10,500 athletes from a record 207 teams competing in Rio, including the Refugee Olympic Team.
It will also be the first time Kosovo and South Sudan have taken part in the Games.
The Refugee Olympic Team will compete under the Olympic flag and has 10 members ‑ five from South Sudan, two from Syria, two from Democratic Republic of Congo and one from Ethiopia.
With 554 athletes, the United States has the largest Olympic team while 100m runner Etimoni Timuani is the only athlete from Tuvalu.
The youngest athlete is 13‑year‑old Nepalese swimmer Gaurika Singh.
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