HITTISAU, Austria—Pita Taufatofua was not the most famous or the most successful athlete in the opening ceremony of the Rio Olympics. He was the most shirtless. The previously unknown flag-bearer from Tonga marched into the world’s most-watched parade slathered with coconut oil and walked out a global celebrity.

The world may see the strapping taekwondoka again sooner than anybody expected—this time with a whole lot more clothing.

Taufatofua is now a cross-country skier. He’s quietly one race from qualifying for the Pyeongchang Games next month, and he could secure his spot this weekend. Even though he had never skied a day in his life before last winter. And he still can’t afford his own pair of skis.

“This is a crazy story even for me,” he said while training here in the Austrian mountains. “I’m, like, what the hell am I doing here? I’m freezing my ass off.”

Taufatofua had only seen snow once before embarking on an incredibly unlikely journey that would plunge him $30,000 in debt, inflict more pain than any kick to the face and possibly make him the first taekwondoka-turned-skier in Olympic history.