Oil up! Our fave shirtless Olympic flag bearer confirms he's headed to Paris
| 07/22/24
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Get ready, girls, gays, and theys, because our favorite oily, flag-bearing hunk is making his epic comeback to the Olympics in Paris this year!
In case you need a refresher, Olympic athlete Pita Taufatofua is famous worldwide for his impressive, oiled-up physique, specifically because he has had the honor of being the official flag-bearer for Tonga during multiple Olympic games.
He first went viral in 2016 at the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, when folks online noticed him during the opening ceremony wearing a traditional ta'ovala, with his oiled-up chest out and on full display.
Dan Istitene/Getty Images
Taufatofua, a multidisciplinary athlete in various Olympic sports like taekwondo, cross-country skiing, and canoe, didn't let the cold weather stop him from bearing his chest when he followed up his Rio appearance at the 2018 Winter Olympic games in Pyeongchang-gun, South Korea!
Jamie Squire/Getty Images
And at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo (which actually took place in 2021 because of the worldwide pandemic), Taufatofua was a smart, socially-responsible king and donned a face mask during the opening ceremony, though he still kept his shirt off and his tiddies oiled up.
And though he won't be participating as an athlete at this year's games in Paris, Taufatofua is still going to grace the Olympics with his presence!
In a recent post to his Insta account, the 40-year-old sportsman confirmed that's he's going to be there in Paris, saying he'll be "getting that kiss under the Eiffel tower after all."
"Life is interesting, he wrote. "After missing out on the Olympic qualifiers my goal was to focus on other areas of life. I had been defeated in battle with more scars added to the trophy cabinet, but I couldn't have been happier."
He continued: "While not competing, the spirit of the Games called me, opportunities arose and I couldn't say no. This time the medal I fight for is to be of service, to be there for my fellow athletes, an ear of support or a voice of encouragement. To share what I have learnt and more importantly to hear the stories of the other Olympians, these amazing human beings getting ready to represent their nations. What are they thinking, how are they feeling? How is their mental health? What motivates them? How do they deal with both victory and defeat? All questions we will soon find out. The Paris games organizing committee has done a phenomenal job, as have all of the hard workers from the IOC, President Thomas Bach, Athlete 365, and the amazing team at the Believe in Sport program."
"My runners are dusted off, my shirts are two sizes too small and our little team is ready to serve," he concluded.
Scroll through to see more pics of Taufatofua, and follow him on Instagram for more! And be on the lookout for Pita during this year's Olympic games! The opening ceremony airs stateside at 9am PT/12pm ET on NBC and streaming on Peacock!
Raffy is a Los Angeles-based writer, editor, video creator, critic, and the digital director of Out.
Raffy is a Los Angeles-based writer, editor, video creator, critic, and the digital director of Out.