The flag-bearer for Tonga was Pita Taufatofua, and he was unmissable. (Photo: Twitter/@pitaTofua) This year’s Olympic Games are unlike any other. Marred by the pandemic, athletes from around the world have congregated at the Japanese capital to keep the spirit of the game alive, and give viewers from around the world a reason to cheer and hope.
On July 23, at the opening ceremony, we saw this spirit as the contingents walked in, proudly displaying their culture and holding their national flags. But what we also witnessed were some interesting moments which made quite a buzz around the world.
Here are some of them.
Pita Taufatofua’s shirtless glory
A proud day for all the strong women in Tonga and the Pacific. Great Job Malia Paseka and all the Tongan athletes proudly carrying the Tongan flag out into the world pic.twitter.com/WJj1TiteQa
— Pita Taufatofua (@pitaTofua) July 23, 2021
The flag-bearer for Tonga was Pita Taufatofua, and if you had watched the ceremony and caught this particular moment of him walking in, you would have found his oiled up physique unmissable. The athlete went viral shortly after, with netizens calling him desirable on social media. It has been understood that the taekwondo competitor first caught everyone’s attention for the same reason at the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics and then again at the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics.
Misia’s cotton candy gown
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What else will you call this heavenly, edible-looking attire? Japanese singer-songwriter Misia was impressive as she performed at the Olympics opening ceremony. She sang the Japanese national anthem ‘KimiGaYo’ wearing this rainbow outfit, custom-made by designer Tomo Koizumi. Koizumi previously displayed at the New York Fashion Week for fall 2019 with rainbow-coloured gowns.
Italy wearing Giorgio Armani tracksuits
The Italian athletes at the #Tokyo2020 Opening Ceremony wearing a special #EA7 uniform, made of recycled fabrics and designed in white to symbolise purity in sport. The graphics fuse the Italian flag and the Japanese, symbols of two faraway countries that share the same values pic.twitter.com/QLO0Lr3xCK
— Armani (@armani) July 23, 2021
Trust Italy to turn up in style. Its athletes wore tracksuits and jerseys designed by Giorgio Armani! The design naturally featured a circular version of the Italian flag, with the word ‘Italia’ displayed in Japanese-style font. Interestingly, the attire also had the Italian national anthem printed on the inside of jackets and sweatshirts, and also the inside collar of polo shirts, an Independent report mentions.
Bermuda wearing Bermuda shorts
Flagbearer Dara Alizadeh of Bermuda lead his contingent in the athletes parade during the opening ceremony. (REUTERS/Phil Noble)
What can be a better way to introduce your country to the world than to wear an outfit named after it? The athletes from Bermuda turned up wearing their native shorts in a bubblegum pink colour. They also wore a buttoned-up navy blazer, a white collared shirt, tie, and knee-high socks. We dig this fun outfit!
Ralph Lauren styles USA
The #TokyoOlympics are officially underway
This year marks the seventh consecutive time Polo Ralph Lauren has unveiled a bespoke collection for @TeamUSA
Join us in supporting Team USA: https://t.co/OxXILN3IIW#RLxTeamUSA #Tokyo2020 #OpeningCeremony #Olympics pic.twitter.com/0u1EqevA93
— Ralph Lauren (@RalphLauren) July 23, 2021
One of the biggest contingents that turned up for this year’s games, the US walked in style. The athletes were styled by Ralph Lauren, who is the official designer for their Olympics uniforms. For the opening ceremony, the athletes wore navy blazers and trousers, a striped shirt and a custom face mask.
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