Latter-day Saint Olympian Ponipate Loganimasi, known as “Poni,” won a silver medal alongside his teammates in the Fiji Rugby Sevens team at the Paris Olympics earlier this week.
Poni attributes his success to the love and blessings of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. As a younger man faced with the decision to serve as a full-time missionary or to pursue his rugby career, he chose to “put God first, and to keep God’s covenants and commandments.”
He said that his and family members’ prayers, fasting and worship in the house of the Lord helped him to focus on achieving his dreams.
Looking ahead, Poni and his wife, Rachael, are expecting a baby, and he hopes to strengthen faith in Jesus Christ among his family members and with others. He also hopes to compete again at the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.