Suva-born Ellia Green is the first Fijian athlete to win an Olympic gold medal.

The Australian women’s rugby sevens flyer scored a try in the final as they went on to beat New Zealand 24-17 at the Deodoro Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil yesterday.

“This is my first and definitely not the last,” she said after receiving her gold medal.

Arriving in Rio, Green visited the Team Fiji camp and met-up with Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama and wife Mary.

“I’m proud of my Fijian heritage and an honour to meet the Prime Minister for the first,” she said.

According to SBS, Green was adopted by a Polish mother and English father and was raised in Australia.

“I was adopted from day one in Fiji,” she told SBS during an interview.

“My mum believes that we were destined to be together. I think the opportunities she has given me in life it has been a blessing. I wouldn’t be where I’m at, I don’t know if I would be even playing rugby: I don’t know if I was in Fiji what would’ve happened,” she said, but admits to looking up to the Fijian players now that she does play rugby.

“A lot of my rugby idols are in the Fijian men’s team. I love the unpredictable way they play and I would say I have some of the athletic abilities that the Fijians have.”

Edited by Leone Cabenatabua

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