Photo/Illutration Peta Taufatofua carries the flag of Tonga during the opening ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, on Feb. 9, 2018. (AP file photo)

SYDNEY--Peta Taufatofua decided to leave his shirt on Tuesday when he led a group of 23 fellow Olympians in a home workout video to help celebrate Olympic Day across 20 time zones.

There were a few technical glitches when Taufatofua, who caused a stir when he went shirtless while carrying the Tongan flag at the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics opening ceremony and again in the cold of Pyeongchang, South Korea, at the Winter Olympics two years later, began the workout at 11 a.m. Tongan time.

Taufatofua, who was a taekwondo competitor at Rio and a cross-country skier at Pyeongchang, appeared to have difficulty hearing the moderator but proceeded eventually while wearing a red Tongan shirt in what appeared to be a home gym.

A blog of the workouts later followed New Zealand women’s rugby sevens player Tyla Nathan-Wong, Australian diver Melissa Wu and Japanese pole vaulter Seito Yamamoto, all at 11 a.m. in their home countries. The 23rd and last athlete scheduled to appear was American gymnast Kyla Ross.

The workouts were designed to encourage exercise among those affected by coronavirus shutdowns around the world. The 2020 Tokyo Olympics were postponed to next year because of the global pandemic.

Related News