Transcript
PITA TAUFATOFUA: It came about because a couple of years ago I had my first experience in the snow. It wasn't skiing - I didn't put on skis until yesterday for all of five minutes - but the Winter Olympics is coming up in 2018 and I'd fallen in love with snow. Cross-country skiing represents to me a sport that is so challenging and for me I'm all about taking down those challenge, showing people that they can chase down their own challenges, they can chase down their own dream so that if I can do this anyone can do this.
VINNIE WYLIE: You started taekwondo as a small boy and, as you say, you've had skis on for all of five minutes so there's challenge but to make it to the Winter Olympics is an almighty challenge?
PT: Absolutely. One of the crazy things is that I'm putting it out there to the world so the world is going to see this all take shape. It took me 20 years to make it in taekwondo - the sport that I've been doing since I was a kid - and I've got a year and a half to try and qualify for South Korea. It's not going to be easy - there's going to be a lot of hard work but it's important for me that I bring people along on the ride with me so that they can somehow relate it to their life and take them self a bit lighter as well - the Olympic creed is about participation.
VW: There is already of course a Royal Tonga Ski Federation and there is a group of Tongans that are training and attempting to achieve the same goal as you by reaching Pyeongchang and the 2018 Winter Olympics. Are you part of that crowd?
PT: I sure am. I'm officially in the Royal Tonga Ski Federation now and a member of the world-wide ski federation as well.
VW: So what did you need to do to get that membership and what happens from here?
PT: We had to go through the Royal Tonga Ski Federation and they were really excited because for us it's another opportunity to get Tonga and the Pacific out there to the world. The next step is firstly I've got to learn how to ski (laughing), so I'm heading across to Europe at the end of December. First step learn how to ski, second step complete a race, actually finish a race - cross-country skiing is a very tough sport. Third step is then to improve on the time and final step is to start improving at different competitions.
VW: For someone who needs to learn how to ski and as you say only 18 months to the Winter Olympics how realistic is this? I guess a lot of people would look at it and say is it just another publicity stunt?
PT: Yeah a lot of people would think that...there will be a lot of people who criticise different things. How realistic is it? In my head it's very realistic. There is a Winter Olympics in 2018, there's another one four years after that. I'm chasing down this one first but it's going to be challenging. My whole life has been about challenge: 20 years to try and qualify (for the Olympics in taekwondo) and lots of failed attempts so I believe I can do it. I think people set their goals way too low - this is completely out there: it's a massive goal, it's a massive dream but some people can set their goals so low that they can actually achieve them. I have no fear setting them high - if things go to plan then I'll be in South Korea in a year and a half.
