Pita Taufatofua is oiled up and back for Team Tonga at the Tokyo Olympics — PHOTOS

5 Min Read
Pita Taufatofua Opening Ceremony - Olympics: Day 0

Pita Taufatofua became an overnight sensation five years ago when he marched shirtless and in a traditional Tongan outfit at the opening ceremonies in 2016 and 2018.

He repeated the performance for this year’s ceremony. Taufatofua walked alongside this year’s flag-bearer for Tonga at the Opening Ceremony in Tokyo on Friday (Jul. 23, 2021). He was once again shirtless and oiled up, which led to a lot of excitement on Twitter.

Taufatofua may have gone viral initially for his looks, but his athletic resume is also incredible. In addition to competing in Taekwando at the Summer Games, he was also Tonga’s only competitor at the 2018 Winter Olympics. He trained for just three months and had to rent equipment to compete in cross-country skiing in PyeongChang.

Pita Taufatofua Opening Ceremony - Olympics: Day 0
Tonga’s flag bearers Pita Taufatofua (L) and Malia Paseka (2L) lead their delegation as they parade during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, at the Olympic Stadium, in Tokyo, on July 23, 2021. (Photo by ODD ANDERSEN/AFP via Getty Images)

He initially tried to qualify for the 2020 Games in sprint canoeing but came up just short. He would later get back onto the Olympic team in taekwondo for the second time.

Pita Taufatofua Opening Ceremony - Olympics: Day 0
Flag bearer Pita Taufatofua of Team Tonga leads their team out during the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on July 23, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

An engineer by academic training who lists martial arts legend Bruce Lee as one of his heroes, the 6’3″, 220-pound Taufatofua lives in Australia and also serves as an ambassador for UNICEF.

Watch Pita Taufatofua strut his stuff in the Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony

YouTube video

More photos of PIta Taufatofua at the the Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony

Pita Taufatofua Opening Ceremony - Olympics: Day 0
Tonga’s flag bearer Pita Taufatofua poses as he parades with the delegation during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, at the Olympic Stadium, in Tokyo, on July 23, 2021. (Photo by ODD ANDERSEN/AFP via Getty Images)
Pita Taufatofua Opening Ceremony - Olympics: Day 0
Tonga’s flag bearers Malia Paseka (L) and Pita Taufatofua lead the delegation during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games opening ceremony’s parade of athletes, at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo on July 23, 2021. (Photo by HANNAH MCKAY/AFP via Getty Images)
Pita Taufatofua Opening Ceremony - Olympics: Day 0
Flag bearers Malia Paseka and Pita Taufatofua of Team Tonga lead their team out during the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on July 23, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Pita Taufatofua Opening Ceremony - Olympics: Day 0
Flag bearer Pita Taufatofua of Team Tonga leads their team out during the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on July 23, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Pita Taufatofua Opening Ceremony - Olympics: Day 0
Flag bearers Malia Paseka and Pita Taufatofua of Team Tonga lead their team out during the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on July 23, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Pita Taufatofua Opening Ceremony - Olympics: Day 0
Flag bearers Malia Paseka and Pita Taufatofua of Team Tonga lead their team out during the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on July 23, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
Pita Taufatofua Opening Ceremony - Olympics: Day 0
Flag bearers Malia Paseka and Pita Taufatofua of Team Tonga lead their team during the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on July 23, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Hannah McKay – Pool/Getty Images)
Pita Taufatofua Opening Ceremony - Olympics: Day 0
Flag bearers Malia Paseka and Pita Taufatofua of Team Tonga lead their team during the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on July 23, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Hannah McKay – Pool/Getty Images)

HOT DEALS

nutribullet PRO Single Serve Blender
  • Save $46.78 on the nutribullet PRO Single Serve Blender (900W) in matte lavender! Optimized 900-Watt motor and refined nutrient extraction blades blend the toughest whole foods into nutritious shakes, smoothies, and nut butters. [Best Buy]
  • Save $120 on the Shark Navigator Powered Lift-Away Upright Vacuum! A 2-in-1 Powered Lift-Away® upright vacuum with a detachable canister for portable cleaning. With the touch of a button, Powered Lift-Away® technology allows you to lift the canister away and deep-clean hard-to-reach areas while still delivering power to keep the brushroll spinning. [Target]
  • Save $30 on the Ninja™ CREAMi™ Ice Cream Maker, 5 One-Touch Programs, with 2 Pints Included! Turn almost anything into ice cream, sorbet, milkshakes, and more. [Walmart]
  • Save $100 on the KitchenAid Artisan 10-Speed Stand Mixer – Hearth & Hand™ with Magnolia! This KitchenAid Artisan® Series 5 Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer offers the capacity to make up to 9 dozen cookies in a single batch. And, it features 10 speeds to thoroughly mix, knead and whip ingredients quickly and easily. [Target]
  • Save up to 50% on a Nectar mattress. The Nectar Spring Into Savings Sale is here, with some of the deepest discounts we’ve seen on their popular memory foam mattresses and sleep bundles. [Nectar]
  • Save $500 on the Samsung – 55” Class LS03D The Frame Series QLED 4K with Anti-Reflection and Slim Fit Wall Mount Included (2024). [Best Buy]
  • Save $50 with code! Theragun Prime is a powerful, easy-to-use massage gun in a simple design for effective pain relief. Whether you’re recovering from the daily grind or fueling your active lifestyle, its deep, targeted massage helps your body feel its best. [Therabody]
  • Save 5% on the Bombas Men’s Gripper Ankle Sock 4-Pack. [Bombas]

Like most websites, Socialite Life uses affiliate links where available, which means we earn a little commission if you click through and buy something. Also, as Amazon Influencers, we earn from qualifying purchases. Savings shown are those from the date and time of this article’s publication.

Share This Article