Tonga's shirtless flagbearer learned to cross-country ski in 12 months with the help of a venture capitalist who had failed to do the same 4 years ago

pulse

February 21, 2018 9:08 PM

Paul Bragiel's connection with Pita Taufatofua is one of the most unique at the Winter Olympics.

Pita Taufatofua made the remarkable transition from taekwondo to cross-country skiing in 12 months to make the Winter Olympics.
He was aided by Paul Bragiel, a venture capitalist, who once tried to make the Olympics in cross-country skiing.
Bragiel grew close to the Tongan Olympic team at the Rio Olympics.
Bragiel gave Taufatofua tips along the way and also helped two other cross-country skiers from Colombia and Mexico get to the games.

After the men's 15km cross-country skiing race at the Winter Olympics, the three last-place finishers, from Mexico, Colombia, and Tonga, went out to celebrate.

They got dinner with their teams and enjoyed a night filled with somaek, a Korean alcoholic drink, before partying at various Olympic houses, returning home at 5:00 in the morning.

For these Olympians, it was a night of celebration — they were the last three finishers of the race, but making the Olympics was their ultimate goal, and they had reached the pinnacle after years of work. All of which makes Pita Taufatofua, the cross-country skier from Tonga, all the more unique.