Beijing Olympics opening ceremonies: There is a new shirtless flagbearer

The sophisticated and debatable Beijing Olympics started on Friday with the normal opening ceremonies (spoilers forward for the ones to need to watch in US top time). Those Olympics glance other from a non-pandemic tournament in a lot of techniques. One custom from the remaining 3 Olympic Video games, on the other hand, has persevered: Audience will nonetheless spot a shirtless, oiled-up flagbearer. However it isn’t the similar athlete as in previous years.

Nathan Crumpton, the one member of American Samoa’s Olympic crew, carried at the shirtless-flagbearer custom created via Tonga’s Pita Taufatofua. And his predecessor applauded him. “American Samoa maintaining the citadel,” tweeted Taufatofua.

Crumpton is competing in skeleton for American Samoa. He has an world background. Born in Kenya and skilled in the USA, simply six months in the past, he ran observe for American Samoa on the Tokyo Olympics.

His look on the 2022 Video games overjoyed social media. Crumpton went shirtless in 21 F (-6 C) climate, however did not appear to really feel the chilly.

“Oh hi. American Samoa taking on from Tonga,” one individual tweeted.

“Any person inform American Samoa that it is iciness,” wrote someone else.

Taufatofua made headlines for the remaining 3 Olympics via marching in as Tonga’s flagbearer and showing his greased-up naked chest. He began off on the 2016 Rio Video games, the place he competed in taekwondo. But if he returned in 2018 to cross-country ski on the Pyeongchang Olympics, he went shirtless once more — in near-freezing temperatures. He additionally returned on the pandemic-affected Tokyo Video games — dressed in a masks this time, however nonetheless no blouse.

Taufatofua posted on Instagram that whilst he may not be competing this yr, he helps all of the Olympians, writing, “They’re all flagbearers.”

Tiny Tonga used to be hit via an enormous undersea volcanic eruption and tsunami, and Taufatofua has been posting about his paintings looking to assist his country rebuild.

The Beijing Olympics run via Feb. 20. This is how you can watch, and information about the seven new sports activities.