‘Tough battle’
NORTON SAYS RACE FOR PARIS GOLD WIDE OPEN
2016 Rio Olympic Games silver medallist Dan Norton believes it’s going to be a hard call to determine which team takes the Rugby Sevens gold at the 2024 Olympic Games in France.
Norton, who is the leading alltime try scorer in the World Rugby Sevens Series with 358 tries, is in the country as an ambassador of the 12th McDonald’s Fiji’s Coral Coast 7s tournament and is set to join a growing number of legends in Sigatoka’s Walk of Fame.
His plaque was supposed to be unveiled on Wednesday afternoon, but delays in his flight saw him arrive in the country later than expected.
Speaking on the performance of teams in the World Series, Norton predicts a tough battle during the Olympics in Paris.
“Big year for the Olympics and I’m excited to see where the next few months will go, it’s still a long way from the tournament,” the Englishman said.
“Fiji has won two gold, I’m sure they will be expecting a third gold as well but 7s is challenging.
“The series is getting tougher, and it’s going to be a long couple of months. I think Fiji will be out there, New Zealand, and Argentina are doing well and there are a lot of top teams in there so it’s going to be a very hard gold medal for the winner.”
The speedster played alongside Fiji Airways Fiji 7s men’s head coach Ben Gollings for England rugby.
“Ben (Gollings) has been part of the family out here, bringing his family across and he is doing his best for the team. He is under a little bit of pressure which I’m sure he is aware of as well and understands that Fiji won the gold medal and people want that perfect record as well so it’s tough, but I think he is doing an amazing job.”
Norton’s favourite rugby memory was playing Fiji in the 2016 Rio Olympics gold medal match.
Fiji won 43-7 at Deodoro Stadium, winning the country’s firstever medal at the Olympic Games.
“What stands out is probably the Olympics. We didn’t get the gold medal, but I think the experience as a whole, playing in the Olympics, not winning the gold but getting silver. When I started maybe when I was nine. I never thought I would go to the Olympics so losing in the final to Fiji but still being able to come away with a medal was still special and that’s a memory that stands out for me.”
The England star is in Fiji for the first time and is excited to see first-hand the depths of talent in the country.