Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist and Team Fiji Women’s 7s captain Raijeli Daveua and sailor, Viliame Ratulu are Team Fiji’s flag bearers for the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics this Saturday.
Daveua is set to become the first Fijian female athlete to make her third appearance at the Olympic Games.
A Fiji Corrections officer, Daveua was a member of the 2021 team that won a bronze medal in Japan, establishing a new legacy for women’s rugby in Fiji.
She also participated in the 2016 Rio Olympics as part of the inaugural Fijiana 7s team.
Daveua is no stranger to the national team and has featured at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham where the Women’s team won a silver medal and represented Fiji at the 2022 Rugby 7s World Cup in Cape Town and also the 2021 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.
The 33-year-old remains a beacon of talent and determination, representing not only her team and country but also the evolving landscape of women's sports globally.
From Savusavu to Paris, Viliame Ratulu is the first from his family to take up sailing as a sport, and he is also the first to qualify for the Olympics. Ratulu has competed in 7 sailing nationals since 2015, 2 Pacific Games and 1 World Youth Champs throughout his sailing career.
With one day till the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, Ratulu continues to acknowledge everyone that has helped him to achieve his dream.
The opening ceremony is this Saturday at 5.30am.
