13 Feb 2014

Sport: Tonga's Bruno Banani thanks supporters

11:05 am on 13 February 2014

Tonga's Winter Olympics star Bruno Banani is looking forward to returning home to see his friends and family.

The 26 year-old, nicknamed 'The Flying Coconut, finished in 32nd place in the luge competition in Sochi.

Banani plans to spend the next few days relaxing in Russia and watching some of the other sports on offer before heading back to his base in Germany and then on to Tonga.

He says the support he's received, over the last few weeks especially, has been incredible.

"I just want to say thank you for everyone: every Tongan [and] non-Tongan because I received messages from all around the world how proud they are in what I do. I just want to thank the Royal Family, the Princess, all the support and everything. I just don't have all the right words to say thanks to them. I just did the best that I could. Like I said, let's rest for now and see what's coming for Tonga in the next Winter Olympics."

Bruno Banani says he's keen to return for the 2018 Games in South Korea and could try his hand at luge or bobsleigh.