CI team competing well

Team Cook Islands at the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore are in good spirits and competing well at this early stage of the event.

Swimmer Aaron Brown has swum in his first men’s 50m freestyle heat and placed second with a time of 26.70 seconds.

His sister Celeste was scheduled to compete in the women’s 50m freestyle yesterday.

Meanwhile, our sailing duo of Teau McKenzie from the Rarotonga Sailing Club and Aquila Tatira of the Aitutaki Sailing Club have been battling it out on the waters of Singapore against some of the world’s best up-and-coming sailors.

The sailing competition in Singapore is being held in the new Byte CII crafts which is a smaller and fast single-man vessel with sails that are used for windsurfing. Both sailors had competed in four races when the team report was sent.

McKenzie, who was the team’s flag bearer during the opening of the games, hasn’t had too much success on the water so far but that could easily change as competition continues.

Her placing after four races were 25th, 30th, 30th and 31st from 32 sailors in her class.

Tatira has placed 23rd, 23rd, 13th, and 27th from 29 sailors in the men’s division.

“When I first saw my sail, I noticed the Cook Islands Flag and then my name underneath.

I felt so proud, it’s like hoisting up my National Flag every day,” said Tatira. Meanwhile the national handball team have yet to compete however they’ve been training and taking in all the wonders of the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore.

The team send their love to their families back home and thanks everyone for their words of encouragement and prayers.

You can send messages to the team via Team Cook Islands administrator Siniva Marsters on smarsters@cisnoc.org.ck