Controversial oiled-up Tongan flag bearer Pita Taufatofua eyes Tokyo Olympics

Pita Taufatofua says he will bid to become the first athlete to take on three disciplines at three Olympics. Photo / Getty Images.

Famous Tongan flag-bearer Pita Taufatofua is setting his sights on competing in a third Olympic sport.

The youth worker from Brisbane has been an internet sensation, despite being a competitive dud, after representing Tonga in the 2016 Rio Olympics and this year's Winter Games in South Korea.

The new Unicef Pacific ambassador is aiming to compete in a water sport at the Tokyo Olympics in two years, adding to his taekwondo and cross-country appearances.

Two years ago I couldn’t afford much let alone a drone. I was trying to make a video to promote Tonga. So my coach...

Posted by Pita Taufatofua on Saturday, July 7, 2018

What grabbed the public was his coconut-oiled face and torso at the opening and closing ceremonies where he appeared in the Tongan ta'ovala.

In reference to his 2020 bid, the 34-year-old Taufatofua has told NBC: "If I qualify for the Olympics in that sport, I will medal in that sport...(it) is a sport that's much more aligned with being a Tongan and being a Pacific Islander."

On Radio New Zealand, he said: "I will hopefully be the first male in history to do three completely different Olympic sports in three different arenas. One of the biggest things I do is I set dreams which are impossible and then find a way to get there."

The way he got to Korea has raised concerns, with the International Ski Federation considering changes to the qualification system for cross-country skiing. He was able to qualify via roller-skiing, in a system introduced to encourage people from countries not known for skiing.

Taufatofua was crushed in his opening round taekwondo fight in Rio, and finished 114th out of 119 in the Korean ski event.

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