It’s a wonderful journey according Fiji 7s Strength and Conditioning coach Nacani Cawanibuka three weeks after the national side won gold at the Olympic Games.

The journey started at the end of 2016 when Ben Ryan left and Cawanibuka was appointed as interim coach before Gareth Baber took over.

Cawanibuka says winning Olympic back to back gold is quite an achievement considering that over 200 countries took part at the Games with more than 12,000 athletes.

The former national rep says some athletes dreamed of finishing in the top five at the Summer Games and they achieve that after two or three Olympics, however, to win a medal ,let alone gold is priceless.

Cawanibuka shared what he told the players in the team bus on their way to the Games village after beating New Zealand in the final.

He adds that he told the players to wear their medals and go to the dining hall to have their meals because he wanted them to experience and absorb the environment and atmosphere at the Games village.

“You know I asked a few of them afterwards how it felt and you know for those of them that went to the dining hall with their medals on, they just said, people just took a look at them and people just really take notice, wow, gold medal, Fiji boys, from the islands, that’s awesome”.

While many witnessed the fruits on the field, Cawanibuka and a few others mapped out a plan that started after the Rio Olympics win.

He says switching the players’ mindset was something the coaching team had to do before they struck gold in Tokyo.

“You can have the best strength and conditioning programming but if they don’t want to do it, if they’re not motivated, if they can’t see far enough-you can’t sell the program, it’s a buy and sell thing in this environment and you have to be a person or coach to be able to reason with the the players and explain to them about the journey so that they can buy it, at the end of the day, you not the one of the field-its them”

Cawanibuka says the players club coaches should be acknowledged for the team’s achievement in Japan.

The man players call ‘Master’ also made special mention of S&C coaches who were part of the Olympic campaign in the likes of Tikiko Namoua, Eroni Sotutu, the late Nimilote Dau, Tavaita Rowati, Orisi Elliot ,Farasiko Tiko, Atama Vilisoni and Apisai Devo.