Oil not be back
Is Tongan’s oiled-up topless flag bearer Pita Taufatofua competing at the Paris 2024 Olympics?
The fan favourite champion has competed in several different sports
PITA Taufatofua became an overnight sensation when he appeared at his first Olympics.
But is famously oiled up Olympian making an appearance at this year’s games? Here’s everything you need to know about Pita Taufatofua.
3
3
Is Pita Taufatofua competing in the Paris 2024 Olympics?
Fans were excitedly anticipating Pita’s return to the 2024 Olympics, but Pita announced that he would not be competing at the games.
Sadly, the fan favourite Taekwondo star did not qualify to compete at the Paris games.
He took to Instagram to tell fans that despite not qualifying, “the show goes on”.
There’s more in store though, as he teased fans by saying “the five gallons of extra virgin coconut oil I’ve been stock piling ‘may’ have to wait”.
Most Read in Sports
When was Pita Taufatofua a flag bearer for the Olympics?
Pita first bared all at the 2016 Rio Olympics, when he was the flag bearer for Tonga.
The sporting star wore a traditional Tongan ta’ovala around his waist as he paraded alongside his teammates.
The ta’ovala is a mat wrapped around the waist for formal occasions by both men and women.
Its formality is comparable with a tie in Western culture.
Most read in Olympics
Although he did not win a medal in 2016, he returned for the 2018 Winter Olympics where he was once again raising temperatures as Tonga’s flagbearer.
He later left the Winter games without a medal, after coming 114th in the 15km skiing freestyle race.
Team GB's Tom Daley tests out his “anti-sex” cardboard bed in the Olympic Village as he prepares for his fifth Games
In 2020, he paid tribute to people who had passed away because of the COVID pandemic.
The pearl necklace featured a single black pearl that he said held a special meaning for his family.
This time he did not walk alone, as he carried the flag alongside Malia Paseka who was competing in Taekwondo.
Where is Pita Taufatofua now?
3
Pita was born in Australia but was raised in the Polynesian island country of Tonga.
Tonga is actually made up of 171 islands, though people only live on around 45 of these.
Pita now splits his time between Tonga and Brisbane, Australia.
His mother was born in Australia and his father has served as the governor of the Ha’apai group of islands in central Tonga.
The beloved Olympian now works as a UNICEF ambassador, working with homelessness charities and raising awareness of global warming.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
In 2022, he announced that his family had been affected by the Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Ha’apai eruption and tsunami.
This led him to launch a fundraiser on the website GoFundMe, to help the people affected.
What's happening today at The Games?
WHAT TO WATCH TODAY...
TODAY'S BRIT MEDAL HOPES
Freestyle BMX world and European champ Kieran Reilly will be aiming to add the Olympic title to his collection (12.40pm).
Team GB’s men and women will both be in contention in the rowing quadruple sculls finals (11.25am).
BRITS TO WATCH
Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix - daughter of First Dates star Fred - and Lois Toulson go in the 10m synchro diving final (10am).
In the hockey, Team GB’s women know a win against South Africa is vital after starting with defeats to Spain and Australia (9.30am).
Commonwealth bronze medallist Jemima Yeats-Brown begins her -70kg judo campaign, two years on from losing her sister Jenny to brain cancer (9.20am).
GLOBAL STARS TODAY
The all-star USA men’s basketball team, featuring LeBron James and Steph Curry, face Olympic debutants South Sudan (8pm).
The 100m men’s freestyle final could be a classic with Tokyo champ Caeleb Dressel, new 200m gold medallist David Popovici plus Brits Duncan Scott and Matthew Richards all in contention (9.15pm).
And Jessica Fox could win her second gold of Paris 2024 if she defends her C1 canoe slalom from three years ago (4.25pm).
FANCY SOMETHING DIFFERENT?
The beach volleyball is always spectacular viewing at any Olympics but this year even more so - because it is being played at the foot of the Eiffel Tower.
There are matches all throughout the day from 8am to 9pm.
Click here for all the events taking place at Paris 2024 today.
Follow all the action as it unfolds with our Paris 2024 Olympics LIVE blog.
Topics