南太平洋の島国「キリバス」代表としてリオ・オリンピックで重量挙げに参加したデイヴィッド・カトアタウ選手が世界の注目を集めている。ただし試合内容ではない。ユーモラスなパフォーマンスのせいだ。
男子105キロ級に出場し、順位はグループBで6位と予選敗退したが、彼はめげなかった。直後に笑顔で、2014年から世界大会で恒例となっている不思議なダンスを披露したのだ。
何とも楽しげなダンスだが、そこにはカトアタウ選手の悲壮な思いがあった。国土の大半が海抜2m以下の島々から成るキリバスは、海面上昇により水没する危険性が高いと言われている。彼はダンスを通して、故郷の危機を世界に訴えたかったのだ。ロイター通信に対して次のように語っている。
キリバスがどこにあるか、ほとんどの人は知りません。私たちのことを人々にもっと知って欲しい。世界に知ってもらうために私は重量挙げをし、そしてダンスします。私は、海面上昇で沈む故郷の人々のことを伝えるために昨年、世界に向けて公開書簡を出しました。沈むまであと何年なのかすら分かりません
【画像集】キリバス代表の不思議なダンス
キリバス代表の不思議なダンス
OLYMPICS-RIO-WEIGHTLIFTING-M-105KG(01 of23)
2016 Rio Olympics Weightlifting - Final - Men\'s 105kg - Riocentro - Pavilion 2 - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - 15/08/2016. David Katoatau (KIR) of Kiribati dances off the weightlifting platform. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. (credit:Stoyan Nenov / Reuters)
OLYMPICS-RIO-WEIGHTLIFTING-M-105KG(02 of23)
2016 Rio Olympics Weightlifting - Final - Men\'s 105kg - Riocentro - Pavilion 2 - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - 15/08/2016. David Katoatau (KIR) of Kiribati celebrates a successful lift. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. (credit:Stoyan Nenov / Reuters)
OLYMPICS-RIO-WEIGHTLIFTING-M-105KG(03 of23)
2016 Rio Olympics Weightlifting - Final - Men\'s 105kg - Riocentro - Pavilion 2 - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - 15/08/2016. David Katoatau (KIR) of Kiribati fails a lift. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. (credit:Stoyan Nenov / Reuters)
OLYMPICS-RIO-WEIGHTLIFTING-M-105KG(04 of23)
2016 Rio Olympics Weightlifting - Final - Men\'s 105kg - Riocentro - Pavilion 2 - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - 15/08/2016. David Katoatau (KIR) of Kiribati reacts. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. (credit:Stoyan Nenov / Reuters)
OLYMPICS-RIO-WEIGHTLIFTING-M-105KG(05 of23)
2016 Rio Olympics Weightlifting - Final - Men\'s 105kg - Riocentro - Pavilion 2 - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - 15/08/2016. David Katoatau (KIR) of Kiribati reacts. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. (credit:Stoyan Nenov / Reuters)
OLYMPICS-RIO-WEIGHTLIFTING-M-105KG(06 of23)
2016 Rio Olympics Weightlifting - Final - Men\'s 105kg - Riocentro - Pavilion 2 - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - 15/08/2016. David Katoatau (KIR) of Kiribati dances off the weightlifting platform. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. (credit:Stoyan Nenov / Reuters)
OLYMPICS-RIO-WEIGHTLIFTING-M-105KG(07 of23)
2016 Rio Olympics Weightlifting - Final - Men\'s 105kg - Riocentro - Pavilion 2 - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - 15/08/2016. David Katoatau (KIR) of Kiribati dances as he celebrates a successful lift. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. (credit:Stoyan Nenov / Reuters)
OLYMPICS-RIO-WEIGHTLIFTING-M-105KG(08 of23)
2016 Rio Olympics Weightlifting - Final - Men\'s 105kg - Riocentro - Pavilion 2 - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - 15/08/2016. David Katoatau (KIR) of Kiribati dances as he celebrates a successful lift. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. (credit:Stoyan Nenov / Reuters)
OLYMPICS-RIO-WEIGHTLIFTING-M-105KG(09 of23)
2016 Rio Olympics Weightlifting - Final - Men\'s 105kg - Riocentro - Pavilion 2 - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - 15/08/2016. David Katoatau (KIR) of Kiribati dances as he celebrates. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. (credit:Stoyan Nenov / Reuters)
OLYMPICS-RIO-WEIGHTLIFTING-M-105KG(10 of23)
2016 Rio Olympics Weightlifting - Final - Men\'s 105kg - Riocentro - Pavilion 2 - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - 15/08/2016. David Katoatau (KIR) of Kiribati celebrates after a successful attempt. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. (credit:Stoyan Nenov / Reuters)
OLYMPICS-RIO/OPENING(11 of23)
2016 Rio Olympics - Opening ceremony - Maracana - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - 05/08/2016. Flag-bearer David Katoatau (KIR) of Kiribati leads his contingent during the opening ceremony. REUTERS/David Gray FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. (credit:David Gray / Reuters)
SPORT-GAMES/(12 of23)
Gold medalist David Katoatau of Kiribati sings his national anthem during the medal ceremony for the men\'s 105kg weightlifting competition at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, in Glasgow, Scotland, July 30, 2014. Kotoatau won his country\'s first ever Commonwealth Games medal. REUTERS/Andrew Winning (BRITAIN - Tags: SPORT WEIGHTLIFTING) (credit:Andrew Winning / Reuters)
SPORT-GAMES/(13 of23)
Gold medallist David Katoatau of Kiribati, is lifted by silver medallist Stanislav Chalaev (L) of New Zealand, and bronze medallist Benjamin Watson of England, during the medal ceremony for the men\'s 105kg weightlifting competition at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, in Glasgow, Scotland, July 30, 2014. Kotoatau won his country\'s first ever Commonwealth Games medal. REUTERS/Andrew Winning (BRITAIN - Tags: SPORT WEIGHTLIFTING) (credit:Andrew Winning / Reuters)
SPORT-GAMES/(14 of23)
David Katoatau of Kiribati dances after winning the gold medal of the men\'s 105kg weightlifting competition at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, in Glasgow, Scotland, July 30, 2014. REUTERS/Andrew Winning (BRITAIN - Tags: SPORT WEIGHTLIFTING) (credit:Andrew Winning / Reuters)
SPORT-GAMES/(15 of23)
David Katoatau of Kiribati makes his last lift after winning the gold medal of the men\'s 105kg weightlifting competition at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, in Glasgow, Scotland, July 30, 2014. REUTERS/Andrew Winning (BRITAIN - Tags: SPORT WEIGHTLIFTING TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY) (credit:Andrew Winning / Reuters)
SPORT-GAMES/(16 of23)
David Katoatau of Kiribati celebrates after winning the gold medal of the men\'s 105kg weightlifting competition at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, in Glasgow, Scotland, July 30, 2014. REUTERS/Andrew Winning (BRITAIN - Tags: SPORT WEIGHTLIFTING) (credit:Andrew Winning / Reuters)
SPORT-GAMES/(17 of23)
David Katoatau of Kiribati performs a lift during the snatch section of the men\'s 105kg weightlifting competition at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, in Glasgow, Scotland, July 30, 2014. REUTERS/Andrew Winning (BRITAIN - Tags: SPORT WEIGHTLIFTING) (credit:Andrew Winning / Reuters)
OLY-OPEN-CEREMONY-DAY0/ACT2(18 of23)
Kiribati\'s flag bearer David Katoatau holds the national flag as he leads the contingent in the athletes parade during the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium July 27, 2012. REUTERS/Mike Blake (BRITAIN - Tags: OLYMPICS SPORT) (credit:Mike Blake / Reuters)
OLYMPICS-WEIGHTLIFTING/(19 of23)
David Katoatau of Kiribati gestures after competing in the men\'s 85kg Group B snatch weightlifting competition at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games August 15, 2008. REUTERS/Yves Herman (CHINA) (credit:Yves Herman / Reuters)
OLYMPICS-WEIGHTLIFTING/(20 of23)
David Katoatau of Kiribati competes in the men\'s 85kg Group B snatch weightlifting competition at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games August 15, 2008. REUTERS/Yves Herman (CHINA) (credit:Yves Herman / Reuters)
Rio Olympics Weightlifting Men(21 of23)
David Katoatau, of Kiribati, dances off the platform after an unsuccessful attempt on his final lift in the men\'s 105 kg weightlifting event at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Aug. 15, 2016. (AP Photo/Mike Groll) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Rio Olympics Weightlifting Men(22 of23)
David Katoatau, of Kiribati, dances after a successful lift in the men\'s 105 kg weightlifting event at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Aug. 15, 2016. (AP Photo/Mike Groll) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Rio Olympics Weightlifting Men(23 of23)
David Katoatau, of Kiribati, dances after a successful lift in the men\'s 105 kg weightlifting event at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Aug. 15, 2016. (AP Photo/Mike Groll) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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