Team Fiji men’s rugby sevens forward Ro Masivesi Dakuwaqa is ready to defend Fiji’s status as the Olympic Games champions.

“I will be available for the Tokyo Olympics in 2020 to defend the gold medal,” he told SUNsports yesterday.

Dakuwaqa said he would be working hard in the next four years to prepare for the Tokyo Games.

His older brother Filipe Jiko said Dakuwaqa was the youngest in the family and a talented rugby player.

He said from Cakova District School, Dakuwaqa also attended St John Bosco Primary School in Wailoku before he moved on to John Wesley College in Raiwaqa.

Our parents, he says, moved to Suva to look after their education.

Jiko said it was when Dakuwaqa went to Nadi that fitness guru Epeli Lagiloa spotted his rugby skills.  Lagiloa had told them that Dakuwaqa with his rugby talents would one day represent Fiji.

That, he says, had materialised and thanked Lagiloa for coaching his brother as it was through his club rugby involvement that led him to join the national team.

Jiko said the gold medal win in Rio is a real blessing not only to the nation but to the family as well.

Turaga Na Roko Tui Bau, Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi said the win in Rio had united the nation and hoped this would remain.

He said all Fijians were celebrating the win and had put aside their differences.

This, he says, should be the way forward for Fiji.