Pita Taufatofua returns to the Olympics.
Pita Taufatofua waved his country’s flag in Pyeongchang. PDO
Pita Taufatofu plays a prominent role in the Milan-Cortina Olympics. He is one of the flag bearers who act as messengers of peace, unity and solidarity.
Who?
Taufatofua is one of the few athletes who has represented his country in both the Summer and Winter Olympics.
The Tongan is especially remembered for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, where he carried his country’s flag with the top plate uncovered. In addition, his upper body was oiled.
He competed in taekwondo in Rio in the over 80 kg category, but was eliminated in the first round after losing to Iran To Sajjad Mardan 16–1. It was the biggest loss of all matches in the weight class tournament.
In Pyeongchang, he participated in the 15 km freestyle skiing competition, where he finished third to last, i.e. 114th.
The Norwegian Dagbladet revealed that Taufatofua should never have qualified for the Pyeongchang Olympics.
The story continues after the picture.
Pita Taufatofu was represented by the upper body in oil. EPA/AOP
The Tongan collected just enough Fis points in the competitions held in Turkey, but according to Dagbladet, the competition in Turkey was under irregular conditions.
In addition to this, he competed a couple of months earlier in Bogota, the capital of Colombia, but according to the newspaper, the times of the competition were tampered with so that Taufatofua could get good enough positions.
Taufatofua also made headlines in 2022 when he told about the matter that shocked him and other Tongans.
In January 2022, a volcano erupted in the Pacific Ocean, and the resulting tsunami caused widespread destruction in the island nation.
Waves up to 15 meters high hit the outermost islands of Tonga. At the time, Taufatofua said on social media that he had not reached his family immediately after the tsunami.
