Michael Bloomfield has been appointed as Tonga's Chef de Mission for Rio 2016 ©TSANOC

Michael Bloomfield has been appointed as Tonga's Chef de Mission for Rio 2016, it has been announced.

Bloomfield is President of the Tonga Weightlifting Association.

His appointment was confirmed by the Tonga Sports Association and National Olympic Committee.

Rio 2016 is due to be Tonga's ninth consecutive appearance in the Olympics since they made their debut at Los Angeles in 1984 when they were represented by boxer William Pulu.

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Paea Wolfgramm won Tonga's only ever Olympic medal at Atlanta 1996, a silver in the super heavyweight when he met Ukraine's Vladimir Klitschko in the final ©Getty Images

He reached the quarter-finals of the men's super heavyweight division before losing to Britain's Robert Wells. 

Tonga won its only ever Olympic medal when another super heavyweight, Paea Wolfgramm, reached the final at Atlanta 1996. 

He lost to Ukraine's Vladimir Klitschko, the current undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. 

At London 2012 Tonga sent a team of three competitors, two in athletics and one in swimming.