8 Feb 2014

Sport: D-Day for Tonga's Bruno Banani at Winter Olympics

5:47 am on 8 February 2014

As far as his team is concerned Tongan luge star Bruno Banani has already won.

The 28 year old, nicknamed 'The Flying Coconut, is the only Pacific Islands athlete at the Sochi Winter Olympics, where he begins competition early tomorrow morning.

A few hours ago he carried the Tongan flag at the official opening ceremony.

The Secretary General of the Tonga Luge Association, Leafa Mataele Wawryk, says whatever happens from here Bruno Banani has already achieved so much.

"I reminded him - I don't think it has hit him yet - you can't get any bigger than this. He's done so well and as humble as this young man is I don't think he realises it yet. The greatest thing here is we don't know what. In other words we are just taking it one day at a time and I think he is doing the same. It's all up to him."

Bruno Banani will also be in action on Monday morning at the Sanki Sliding Centre.