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Fiji Sevens coach Kolinisau wants another shot at gold
By Chris Jones
Osea Kolinisau , Fiji men’s rugby sevens head coach, wants the chance to take the squad to the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
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Kolinisau took charge of the squad four months before the Paris Olympic Games where they added a silver medal to the golds won in Rio and Tokyo with the hosts France grabbing gold at the Stade de France.
Kolinisau will meet with the Fiji Rugby Union interim Trustees this week to present his post-Paris and expects to discover if he will get his chance to take the squad to the next Olympics next week
Kolinisau told the Fiji Sun:“My heart has always been for Fiji and I love the opportunity to build that team for the next four years,” the captain of the gold medal winning team at the 2016 Rio Olympics said.
“There are lots of youngsters in the team now but I have to think about family as well. If it is okay with the family, I’ll be excited if allowed (to stay) for four years.
“I’ll see what they want. I want to stay but it’s up to them. I’m proud with the nucleus of the team right now. A lot of youngsters between the ages of 24 to 26. We know the standard that we are supposed to be playing in. We have a base that we can build on if we are given the opportunity.”
Fiji Rugby Union interim Trustees chairman Peter Mazey said: “Look I am a fan of what he has done, he came in with only four months and we went from not achieving anything from 22 tournaments to silver in the Olympics. That’s an incredible achievement,” he said.
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“He brought in some new blood and kept some old guys, his current contract, which he wanted is only up to September. I have spoken to him and he is keen to carry on. The board will certainly work with him on that.”
