 Off Track ..... Tuvalu lifter on quest for sinking island
(China Daily)
Updated: 2008-08-12 08:08
For centuries, Tuvalu islanders have sailed away in a traditional boat, so weightlifter Logona Esau asked for an image of the vessel to be tattooed onto his arm for a very modern voyage: Tuvalu's first Olympics. Tuvalu is mainly in the news because of global warming, with rising sea levels threatening to erase the tiny islands that make up the South Pacific nation. But 21-year-old Esau and the two track and field athletes that also represent Tuvalu in Beijing hope to make their islands known for more than just being a victim of climate change. "In Tuvalu, the men use this when they go away, when they are going out on a boat, and now, when we go and play abroad," Esau said in his gentle Pacific lilt, pushing up his sleeve to reveal an intricate tattoo that covers his bulging, tanned biceps. Agencies (China Daily 08/12/2008 page8) |
