Pita Taufatofua.Photo: OLIVIER MORIN/AFP via Getty
Don’t expect to see Tongan OlympianPita Taufatofuawalking around shirtless and oiled-up at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
In an Instagrampostthis week, the 38-year-old athlete announced he is not taking part in the Winter Olympics, which kick off Friday.
Listen below to an interview with Pita Taufatofuaonour daily podcast PEOPLE Every Day.
“Right now I have another task that calls me, I must answer. But make no mistake my sword is sharp and my mind is ready. I am just getting started. We have something up our sleeve, an idea, a feat, a dream. It lives next to the impossible, a place that excites me,” he said.
He continued, “Somewhere inside each and every one of you there is an Olympian.”
RELATED VIDEO: Tongan Olympian Pita Taufatofua on Becoming Viral Sensation: “I Feel So Proud … Even If It Comes With Oil and Memes”
For Taufatofua, taking part in the Olympics has also been about representing Tonga, a Polynesian archipelago located in the South Pacific.
He added, “I have the honor to be one of the many people to be seen, to do that, to represent everyone from the pacific.”
Marianna Massey/Getty.
Most recently, he has been busyraising moneyfor the victims of a tsunami that hit his country in January. Taufatofua launched aGoFundMecampaign shortly after the eruption of an underwater volcano last month that caused a tsunami to hit Tonga.
“The eruption occurred in Haapai and spread through to all islands,” he continued. “Initial reports of damage have been catastrophic and all communications with Tonga have been wiped out. In preparation and through the recovery efforts we are seeking your donations to help our island Kingdom.”
To learn more about all the Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, visitTeamUSA.org. Watch the Winter Olympics, beginning Feb 3, and the Paralympics, beginning March 4, on NBC.
source: people.com
