Tonga at the 2018 Winter Olympics

Sporting event delegation

Tonga at the
2018 Winter Olympics

Flag of Tonga

IOC code| TGA
NOC| Tonga Sports Association and National Olympic Committee
Website| www.oceaniasport.com/tonga
in Pyeongchang, South Korea
9–25 February 2018
Competitors| 1 (1 man) in 1 event
Flag bearer (opening)| Pita Taufatofua
Flag bearer (closing)| Pita Taufatofua
Medals|

Gold

Silver

Bronze

Total

Winter Olympics appearances (overview)

* 2014
* 2018
* 2022
* 2026

Tonga competed at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, from 9 to 25 February 2018. The country's participation in Pyeongchang marked its second appearance at the Winter Olympics since its debut in the previous Games.

Tonga was represented by a single athlete, cross-country skier Pita Taufatofua, who also served as the country's flag-bearer during the opening and closing ceremonies. He did not win a medal, and as of these Games, Tonga had not earned a Winter Olympic medal.

## Background

[edit]

The Tonga Sports Association and National Olympic Committee was recognized by the International Olympic Committee in 1984.[1] The nation made its first Olympics appearance at the 1984 Summer Olympics.[2] Tonga made its Winter Olympics debut in the previous edition in 2014, and the current edition marked its second consecutive appearance at the Games.[3]

The 2018 Winter Olympics were held in Pyeongchang, South Korea between 9 and 25 February 2018.[4] Tonga was represented by a single athlete, cross-country skier Pita Taufatofua,[5] who also served as the country's flag-bearer during the opening and closing ceremonies.[6][7][8] Taufatofua marched into the Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium shirtless, smothered in coconut oil, and dressed in a traditional ta'ovala (a Tongan mat).[9][10] Tonga did not win a medal, and as of these Games, had not earned a Winter Olympic medal.[3]

## Competitors

[edit]

The Tongan team consisted of a lone athete.[5]

Sport | Men | Women | Total

|
|
|

Cross-country skiing | 1 | 0 | 1
Total | 1 | 0 | 1

## Cross-country skiing

[edit]

Pita Taufatofua was the only athlete representing Tonga.

Main articles: Cross-country skiing at the 2018 Winter Olympics – Qualification and Cross-country skiing at the 2018 Winter Olympics

As per the "A" standard, athletes with a maximum of 100 distance points were allowed to compete in both the sprint and distance events. NOCs which did not have any athlete meeting the "A" standard were allowed to enter one competitor in the distance event provided that they satisfied the "B" standard of having a maximum of 300 distance points at the end of qualifying on 20 January 2018.[11] Tonga qualified one male athlete, Pita Taufatofua, after he achieved the basic qualification mark to participate in the men's 15 km classical distance event.[12][13]

This was Taufatofua's second Olympic appearance after he appeared in the 2016 Summer Olympics.[14] He represented Tonga in Taekwondo at the 2016 Summer Games.[15]

The main event was held on 16 February 2018 at the Alpensia Cross-Country Skiing Centre.[16] Taufatofua completed the 15 km (9.3 mi) course in 56:41.1. He finished the race in 114th position (out of 119 competitors), more than 22 minutes behind the winner, Dario Cologna of Switzerland.[17]

Athlete  | Event  | Time  | Deficit  | Rank

|
|
|
|

Pita Taufatofua | Men's 15 km freestyle | 56:41.1  | +22:57.2  | 114

## See also

[edit]

* Tonga at the 2016 Summer Olympics
* Tonga at the 2018 Commonwealth Games

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Tonga – National Olympic Committee (NOC)". International Olympic Committee. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
2. ^ "Tonga at the Olympics". Sports Reference. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
3. ^ a b "Tonga at the Olympics". Olympedia. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
4. ^ "PyeongChang 2018 Schedule". pyeongchang2018.com. Archived from the original on 5 November 2017. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
5. ^ a b "Tonga at 2018 Winter Olympics". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
6. ^ "Opening Ceremony Flagbearers - Olympic Winter Games, PyeongChang 2018" (PDF). International Olympic Committee (IOC). 9 February 2018. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
7. ^ "Closing Ceremony Flagbearers - Olympic Winter Games, PyeongChang 2018" (PDF). International Olympic Committee. Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 February 2018. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
8. ^ "The Flagbearers for the PyeongChang 2018 Closing Ceremony". International Olympic Committee. 25 February 2018. Archived from the original on 15 June 2018. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
9. ^ "The incredible story of Pita Taufatofua, Tonga's shirtless Olympic flag bearer". The Guardian. 2 January 2019. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
10. ^ "Winter Olympics 2018: Tonga's Rio Olympic flagbearer will compete in Pyeongchang". BBC News. 20 January 2018. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
11. ^ "Qualification Systems for XXIII Olympic Winter Games, PyeongChang" (PDF). International Ski Federation. Archived (PDF) from the original on 20 February 2018. Retrieved 6 December 2017.
12. ^ "Cross-country Skiing Quota List for Olympic Games 2018". International Ski Federation (FIS). 20 December 2017. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
13. ^ Gartland, Dan (20 January 2018). "Shirtless Tongan Flag-Bearer Qualifies for Winter Olympics". Time Inc. Sports Illustrated Group. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
14. ^ Zaccardi, Nick (20 January 2018). "Tonga flag bearer from Rio qualifies for Winter Olympics". NBC Sports. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
15. ^ "Pita Taufatofua". Olympics.com. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
16. ^ "Cross-country 15km classical, Men". Olympedia. Archived from the original on 7 December 2022. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
17. ^ "Final Results - Men's 15km classical" (PDF). International Ski Federation. 16 February 2018. Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 July 2024. Retrieved 1 June 2018.

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National Olympic Committees at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea

Africa|

* Eritrea
* Ghana
* Kenya
* Madagascar
* Morocco
* Nigeria
* South Africa
* Togo

Americas|

* Argentina
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Asia|

* China
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* Thailand
* Uzbekistan

Europe|

* Albania
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* Netherlands
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* San Marino
* Serbia
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* Slovenia
* Spain
* Sweden
* Switzerland
* Turkey
* Ukraine

Oceania|

* Australia
* New Zealand
* Tonga

Other|

* Korea
* Olympic Athletes from Russia

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Tonga at the Olympics

| Summer Olympic Games|

* 1984
* 1988
* 1992
* 1996
* 2000
* 2004
* 2008
* 2012
* 2016
* 2020
* 2024

|

Winter Olympic Games|

* 2014
* 2018
* 2022
* 2026

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