The shirtless Tonga flag guy was back at the Olympics, and everyone loved it

In what has become our favorite Olympics tradition, the shirtless Tonga flag bearer was back and we all loved it.

In recent years there have been a few symbols to represent the arrival of the Olympic Games. There’s the iconic ring logo, the hallowed and storied Olympic Torch, and an oiled up shirtless Tongan waving his coutnry’s flag with pride.

Yes, all three of these things go together.

For the third straight Olympic Games, Pita Taufatofua was back as Tonga’s flag bearer and he didn’t fail to disappoint. Taufatofua first went viral back at the 2016 Rio Olympics when we were first introduced to him as he proudly strutted the Olympic Stadium covered in oil. He made another appearance at the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics and has not gone for the trifecta in Tokyo.

All three times, Taufatofua competed as an athlete in one of the events at the Games. In Rio he tied for 11th in heavyweight Taekwondo, he competed in Cross Country Skiing and freestyle in PyeongChang and is once again competing in Taekwondo in Tokyo.

He also deserves another gold medal for being a headline star at the opening ceremony.

Everyone loved having shirtless Tonga Olympics flag bearer back

Needless to say, everyone was more than happy to have him back at the Olympics leading the way for Tonga.

Taufatofua wasn’t alone going shirtless this year as Vanuatu’s flag bearer, Rillio Rii, also carried his nation’s flag while oiled up and shirtless.