Tonga’s Pita Taufatofua was feeling the love yesterday after oiling up to cause an online sensation at a third straight Olympic opening ceremony, but this time he was challenged by an equally ripped rower from Vanuatu.
Taufatofua first captured world attention when the Rio de Janeiro Games opened in 2016, appearing topless and glistening with body oil while enthusiastically waving the banner of his tiny South Pacific nation.
He racked up 45 million Twitter mentions within hours, then went on to repeat his chest-bearing feats at the curtainraiser for the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Games, despite freezing conditions.
Photo: Reuters
The 37-year-old, competing in taekwondo in Tokyo, again proved a popular online focal point at the stripped-back ceremony to open the Games on Friday, acting as Tonga’s flagbearer with fellow martial artist Malia Paseka.
However, this time there was a fly in the ointment in the form of Vanuatu rower Riilio Rii, a 27-year-old Games debutant who also showed off his glistening torso while wearing a traditional multi-coloured grass skirt.
The head-to-head inevitably led to a series of “who wore it better?” debates online, with the official Olympic Twitter account weighing in.
Photo: AFP
“It if ain’t broke don’t fix it,” the Games feed posted alongside a picture of Taufatofua, following up by saying: “Pita, we see you and we raise you” after Rii’s appearance.
Both athletes had their supporters, with specialist publication Rowing Voice declaring Rii “won the night... looking regal to his toes.”
Taufatofua appeared unfazed by the competition as he posted a message to supporters yesterday.
“Thanks all for the tags and love,” he wrote. “Not sure if going viral during a pandemic is a good thing but I appreciate all the messages and support.”
Brisbane-based Taufatofua qualified for taekwondo in Rio, then cross-country skiing in Pyeongchang, hoping to compete in kayaking in Tokyo to become the first athlete to contest three different Games in three different sports.
The kayak bid failed, but he told reporters before the Games that he was bringing his paddle to Japan just in case an opening emerged after the taekwondo was finished.
“If there’s a spare lane there and an old rubber duckie for me to get on and paddle, I’ll be on it,” he said.
He also revealed he was mulling offers from filmmakers and hoped to see his underdog story portrayed on the big screen.
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Revelations of positive doping tests for nearly two dozen Chinese swimmers that went unpunished sparked an intense flurry of accusations and legal threats between the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the head of the US drug-fighting organization, who has long been one of WADA’s fiercest critics. WADA on Saturday said it was turning to legal counsel to address a statement released by US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) CEO Travis Tygart, who said WADA and anti-doping authorities in China swept positive tests “under the carpet by failing to fairly and evenly follow the global rules that apply to everyone else in the world.” The
Taiwanese judoka Yang Yung-wei on Saturday won silver in the men’s under-60kg category at the Asian Judo Championships in Hong Kong. Nicknamed the “judo heartthrob” in Taiwan, the Olympic silver-medalist missed out on his first Asian Championships gold when he lost to Japanese judoka Taiki Nakamura in the finals. Yang defeated three opponents on Saturday to reach the final after receiving a bye through the round of 32. He first topped Laotian Soukphaxay Sithisane in the round of 16 with two seoi nage (over-the-shoulder throws), then ousted Indian Vijay Kumar Yadav in the quarter-finals with his signature ude hishigi sankaku gatame (triangular armlock). He
Rafael Nadal on Wednesday said the upcoming French Open would be the moment to “give everything and die” on the court after his comeback from injury in Barcelona was curtailed by Alex de Minaur. The 22-time Grand Slam title winner, back playing this week after three months on the sidelines, battled well, but eventually crumbled 7-5, 6-1 against the world No. 11 from Australia in the second round. Nadal, 37, who missed virtually all of last season, is hoping to compete at the French Open next month where he is the record 14-time champion. The Spaniard said the clash with De Minaur was