Fiji has won the first men’s rugby sevens Olympic champions, smashing Britain 43-7 in the final and giving the tiny island nation its first Games medal.

In a breathtaking display of power rugby, the Fijians ran in five tries to take a 29-0 lead at half-time and adding just two more in the second half.

Skipper Osea Kolinisau, Jerry Tuwai, Jasa Veremalua, Leone Nakarawa, Vatemo Ravouvou, Josua Tuisova and Viliame Mata all scored, as Fiji collected its first Olympic title at its 14th Games.

The Brits failed to even get out of their own half in the opening period, and Dan Norton finally touched down only in the final few minutes for a consolation try.

Fiji’s players pray after victory in the mens rugby sevens gold medal match. Photo: Getty.

At the final whistle, the Fijian players, many of them in tears, linked arms in a circle on the halfway line and sang together with eyes raised up to the dark skies above.

Japan’s remarkable run at the tournament, which included victories over the All Blacks and France, came to an end with defeat to the Fijians in the semi-finals earlier on Thursday.

Their hopes of having a bronze medal to show for their giant-killing exploits were crushed by South Africa, who ran out 54-14 winners in the opening medal match.

They were the first men’s rugby medals awarded at the Olympics since the 1924 Paris Games, where the United States won gold in the 15-a-side game.

New Zealand, who have dominated sevens for much of the last two decades but were sent out of the tournament by the Fijians in the quarter-finals on Wednesday, finished fifth.

Former All Black, Fijian-born winger Joe Rokocoko summed up the feeling in Fiji with his tweet:

Kava business owners in Fiji might be multi millionaires by end of the week, bilo levu kece Viti

— Joe Rokocoko (@J_Rokocoko) August 11, 2016

Gold medallists Fiji celebrate during the mens rugby sevens medal ceremony during the Rio 2016 Olympics. Photo: Getty