Masi eyes second Olympic gold medal

Swire Shipping Fijian Drua centre and current Team Fiji Men’s Rugby 7s squad member Iosefo Masi will be looking to follow in the footsteps of Fiji 7s legend and teammate Jerry Tuwai as he hunts for his second Olympics gold medal in Paris this year.

The 26-year-old made a tough decision last month by opting to try out for Fiji 7s in a bid to participate in his second Olympics after he was named in the 33-member Fiji Water Flying Fijians squad for the July tests.

It worked out well for the Taveuni man as he impressed coach Osea Kolinisau and the selectors who named him in the final 15-member travelling squad.

Before the team left our shore for France, Tuwai mentioned the competition Masi and Fijian Drua teammate Selestino Ravutaumada brought into the squad.

Both players chose to try out their luck for Fiji 7s despite being named in the Flying Fijians squad.

Tuwai says Masi won gold with the Fiji 7s team in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and he has shown that with his work ethic by providing competition for other players in the team.

Meanwhile, 35-year-old Tuwai will be looking to win his 3rd Olympic gold medal for Fiji.

Kolinisau will be naming his final 13-member squad that will go into the Games Village next week with the two dropped players on standby outside the Games Village.

Fiji will face Uruguay at 3am next Thursday in their first match, they will then take on the USA at 6.30am on the same day, before playing hosts France at 1.30am next Friday in their final pool match. The Men’s quarter finals will kick off at 7am next Friday. The semi finals will kick off at 1.30am next Sunday and the final will be at 5.45am Sunday.