The Royal Tonga Ski Federation says Pita Taufatofua overcame a host of obstacles and "crazy circumstances", to become just the second Tongan athlete to qualify for the Winter Olympics.
The 34 year old, who represented Tonga in taekwondo at the 2016 Rio Olympics, booked his ticket to Pyeongchang at the weekend, barely a year after taking up cross country skiing for the first time.
Team manager and head of sport for the Royal Tonga Ski Federation, Steve Grundmann, told Vinnie Wylie Taufatofua saved his best performance for his final race.
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Pita Taufatofua will represent Tonga at the 2018 Pyeonchang Winter Olympics. Photo: Supplied/Instagram