Bare-chested Tongan flag-bearer wins Korean hearts
Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics – Opening ceremony – Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium - Pyeongchang, South Korea – February 9, 2018 - Pita Taufatofua of Tonga carries the national flag. REUTERS/Stefano Rellandini
PYEONGCHANG, South Korea (Reuters) - Tonga's bare-chested flag-bearer for their one-man Winter Olympics team was given a warm reception by the crowd in sub-zero temperatures at the Opening Ceremony on Friday.
Cross-country skier Pita Taufatofua emerged from the tunnel covered in body oil and wearing a grass skirt, sandals and a huge smile as he led the Tongan delegation around the arena.
The 34-year-old Taufatofua also carried his country's flag at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro where he competed in taekwondo.
Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics – Opening ceremony – Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium - Pyeongchang, South Korea – February 9, 2018 - Pita Taufatofua of Tonga carries the national flag. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach
(Reporting by Philip O'Connor, editing by Ed Osmond)
Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics – Opening ceremony – Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium - Pyeongchang, South Korea – February 9, 2018 - Pita Taufatofua of Tonga carries the national flag. REUTERS/Stefano RellandiniPyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics – Opening ceremony – Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium - Pyeongchang, South Korea – February 9, 2018 - Pita Taufatofua of Tonga carries the national flag. REUTERS/Kai PfaffenbachPyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics – Opening ceremony – Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium - Pyeongchang, South Korea – February 9, 2018 - Pita Taufatofua of Tonga carries the national flag. REUTERS/Carlos Barria
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