RAROTONGA – Team Cook Islands will be taking their biggest Olympics team ever to the Rio Olympics in Brazil next month.
Nine athletes from various sporting federations have been confirmed for the games, to be held from August 5 to 21.
Cook Islands Sports and National Olympic Committee (CISNOC) general secretary Robert Graham confirmed this year’s Olympic Games would have the biggest contingent ever from the Cook Islands.
He said the official team, including the flag bearer, would be named next week.
Graham also confirmed Cook Islands swimming sensation Wesley Tikiariki Roberts had been given the greenlight to compete at the games as a wild card entrant.
He will be joined by weight-lifter Luisa Peters who received an Oceania universality placing at the Rio Olympics.
Other athletes to represent the country at the Rio Games are swimmer Tracy Keith-Matchitt, Alex Beddoes and Patricia Taea from athletics, Teau McKenzie and Taua Elisa from sailing and siblings Ella and Bryden Nicholas from canoeing.
“I think the selection criteria that we have set has raised the bar and the standard for national federations and their athletes to meet in order to make it through to the Olympics,” Graham said.
