Cook Islands Sport and National Olympic Committee (CISNOC) has announced the majority of those to represent the nation at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games in July.

The organisation is looking ahead to challenges and fun in 2022.

“We are at a stage where the majority of Team Cook Islands representing the country in Birmingham has been chosen,” Owen Lewis, secretary general for CISNOC, told Cook Islands News on Tuesday.

Lewis provided the newspaper with a list of names.

Athletics 

Alex Beddoes

Swimming 

Wesley Roberts, Kirsten Fisher Marsters, Bede Aitu and Lanihei Connolly

Lawn Bowls 

Men

Alexander Kairua

Phillip Jim

Aidan Zittersteijn

Jason Lindsay

Royden Aperau

Women

Emily Jim

Teokotai Jim

Nooroa Mataio

Tiare Jim

Matapa Puia

Boxing 

Hannah Walker

plus one male yet to be selected

Weightlifting

Manine Lynch

“In the coming days we will be making the final decision on the male boxing selection.

“We are also proud of the equity exhibited in these selections, we are very close to a 50/50 gender split in our selections,” Lewis said.

He made special mention of Manine Lynch and Cook Islands Weightlifting for gaining outright qualification for the games.

Cook Islands weightlifters who competed at the New Zealand International Weightlifting Competition recently returned home with medals.

Lynch won a gold medal while Jerome Tura managed bronze at the event held in Auckland, New Zealand.

Debutant Tura, who competed in the men’s under 81kg weight class, lifted 110kg snatch and a 140kg clean and jerk with a phenomenal 250kg total.

Lynch, who made a comeback after a lapse of five years, competed in the women’s 87kg plus.

Hitting an 86kg snatch and a 110kg clean and jerk with a 196kg total, she won gold.

“This is one of our goals for this the next four years,” Lewis said of the weightlifting success in gaining outright qualification.

“We want to see more of our domestic based athletes qualifying on merit for games.

“As such we take great pride in Manine's performance and congratulate her, her coach and the federation.”  

In 2022 CISNOC is looking forward to a more stable year with the Pacific Mini Games, Commonwealth Games, and Cook Islands Games all lined up.

Two new sports, squash and gymnastics, will be added to the list of sports for the Cook Islands

CISNOC continues to follow the advice of Te Marae Ora regarding Covid-19 safety restrictions and vaccinations regarding sports and sporting events.