Thousands are expected to attend the vibrant opening ceremony for the third Cook Islands Games tonight, where over 3000 athletes will showcase their island pride in the biggest national sporting event in the country.

The National Stadium gates will open to the public at 5pm today and invited dignitaries and guests are expected to be seated by 5.30pm.

The parade of islands into the stadium will be led by Aitutaki, followed by Atiu, Mangaia, Manihiki, Mauke, Mitiaro, Palmerston, Pukapuka, Rakahanga, Rarotonga and Tongareva.

Keziah Lewis, secretary general of the Cook Islands Sports and National Olympic Committee (CISNOC), said: “The Cook Island Games brings together athletes from across our beautiful nation, showcasing the very best of Cook Islands’ sporting talent and spirit.”

“It serves as a vital platform for our athletes to compete at a national level, fostering a sense of unity and pride among our people. From traditional sports deeply rooted in our culture to modern Olympic disciplines, the Games offer a diverse range of competitions that reflect our rich sporting heritage and our aspirations on the global stage.”

According to Lewis, these Games are more than just a sporting event, it is a celebration of national identity, community spirit and commitment to excellence.

“Presenting an opportunity for our youth to be inspired by local heroes, for our communities to come together in friendly competition, and for our nation to identify and nurture the next generation of sporting talent,” she added.

Lewis invites all Cook Islanders to join in supporting the athletes, volunteering at the Games, or simply attending the events to cheer on their teams.

“Together, let’s make these Cook Islands Games a testament to our nation’s passion for sport and our unbreakable community spirit,” she said.

The biennial Games was initiated during the Covid-19 pandemic to inspire, motivate and bring the community together during the devastating global pandemic.

Acknowledging that most Cook Islanders reside overseas – over 80,000 in Aotearoa New Zealand, 40,000 in Australia and those further afar – the 11 islands wanted to include Cook Islanders from all around the world.

Therefore, eligibility rules were set for those living overseas to participate in the Games.

Lewis says the eligibility rule is simple – if you are Cook Islander as of the Cook Islands Act of 1915, you can be registered to an island of which you have blood ties to.

In order to keep the integrity of the games and respect the initial purpose or motivation for these Games, sports codes have placed quotas on how many imports/overseas athletes are allowed to compete in their code.

With over 3000 athletes competing in over 26 codes across a two-week period, preparations have been intense and not without its challenges.

Lewis said the biggest challenges CISNOC encountered go hand in hand.

She explained that there needed to be an exceptionally large number of athletes to participate in the 26 sporting codes.

Lewis added that finding a way to balance the wishes/rights of Cook Islands diaspora to represent their islands and share in the celebrations without taking away opportunities from locals to have a large national sporting event in which they can compete at and be highlighted, was not an easy task.

“Finding this balance while also trying to find the time/hands to support our members with 26 codes running across two weeks is a big task to ask,” Lewis said.

“Thank you to my CISNOC team, I say team because it stretches way beyond the staff, for working tirelessly around the clock to make these games a reality.”

Lewis acknowledged the effort from each of the participating teams for their preparations and wished all the islands, families and volunteers, a wonderful 2024 Cook Islands Games.

The Traditional Games which kick off tomorrow morning at 8.30am at Victoria Park in Tupapa will have 26 gold medals up for grabs.

In the previous Games, this event was staged only as an exhibition sport. This time around there will be a total of 78 medals.

Categories will include: rangaranga/weaving, ko akari/ coconut husking relay, rore/stilt racing and amo taoanga/ load carrying race and piki nu/coconut tree climbing.