He rose to prominence for his oiled-up, bare-chested appearances as Tonga’s flag bearer at the Rio Olympic Games opening and closing ceremonies, but taekwondo fighter Pita Taufatofua is now hoping to make a name for himself in another arena – at the 2018 Winter Games, as a cross-country skier.

Announcing his next career step via an Olympic Channel video on Monday, Taufatofua said he was aiming to become the South Pacific islands’ first male cross-country skier at the Pyeongchang Games in 2018.

“I spent my whole life chasing my Olympic dream and that was to become an Olympian in 2016,” the 33-year-old said.



“I’m going to be taking my Olympic dream one step further. My goal is to let people see, if I can do it, they can do it. The goal is to hunt down that Olympic medal at the 2018 Olympics.”

The Polynesian kingdom of Tonga isn’t traditionally known for its prowess at winter sports; the snowless, tropical nation is more recognised for producing world class players in three forms of rugby – union, league and sevens.

Tonga made its winter Olympics debut at the last edition in Sochi, Russia, where the team consisted on one athlete, Bruno Banani, and two officials.

Banani, whose birth name is Fuahea Semi, made headlines in 2012 after it was discovered he had changed his name to match his sponsors – a German underwear firm.

Taufatofua, born in Brisbane, joins a burgeoning group of Tongans who are seeking to reach the Games in South Korea through the nation’s winter sports development program, the Royal Tonga Ski Federation, set up in 2014.

Last year Makeleta Stephan competed in the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, becoming the first Tongan woman to do so.