【】sports patriotism = LIFE.

Fiji's men's rugby sevens team has made history by defeating Great Britain and claiming the country's first-ever medal -- a gold. Twitter is ablaze as the team's countrymen and women back home celebrate with the fervour of a thousand suns. 。

The men from the former British colony dominated their opponents, towering over them with a 43-7 victory at the final whistle. 。

SEE ALSO:The stories behind the women: meet the world's first gold medal-winning rugby 7s team。

Right up until the match's last moment the people of Fiji appeared to be holding their breath, with one local bank even closing for 30 minutes during game play because 。sports patriotism = LIFE.。

Mashable Top StoriesStay connected with the hottest stories of the day and the latest entertainment news.Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter。By signing up you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. 。By signing up you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. 。

— Bruce Cook (BruceCookRugby) August 11, 2016。

Mashable Games

For the first time in Olympic history, the #FIJ national anthem is played. #Rio2016 https://t.co/h7X4TsiB5A。

What a moment for #FIJ The victorious men's #RugbySevens team celebrate their first ever #Gold in song #Rio2016 https://t.co/Ffiy4oet01 。

— 7olympics (7olympics) August 11, 2016 。

Mashable ImageFiji have been competing at the Olympics since the Melbourne games of 1956 but have not claimed gold until now. It's the first year rugby, popular in Fiji, has been included in Olympic competition since 1924. 。The moral to the story?The moral to the story? If at first you don't succeed, keep trying and maybe 60 years later you'll absolutely wipe the floor with your competition. 。Josua Tuisova of Fiji celebrates as his team wins gold.Credit: David Rogers/Getty Images 。