Pita Taufatofua is Back at Tokyo Olympics 2020

 

Pita Taufatofua became an overnight sensation five years ago when he marched shirtless and in a traditional Tongan costume at the opening ceremony of the 2016 Rio Games, and again at the 2018 Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea. 

Taufatofua was back on Friday when he marched in Tokyo at his third Olympiad, where he will compete in taekwondo. Earlier in the day, Taufatofua said he was still shocked by the reaction to his traditional outfit. 

“It was really a surprise to me,” he said in a telephone interview on Friday. “All of a sudden, within a day, the social media went through the roof. Who’s your manager? We need to talk. I didn’t even know what those words meant.” 

Ultimately, Taufatofua embraced the attention. He is now a motivational speaker and a UNICEF ambassador.(NYT)