Olympians hailed as fine ambassadors

Minister of Sport Mark Brown has hailed the successful participation of Cook Islands athletes at the London Olympics.

The minister went to the London showcase as part of the requirements for each country and was proud of the way the athletes showcased the Cook Islands to the world.

Brown said it was ”pleasing to see nearly all of them improving their bests“ while standing out in their uniforms when they weren’t participating.

”I’ve been on quite a few sports trips and this Olympics team had to have received the highest praise from other groups.

”The response was really good. The team made a huge impression for the country.

”I have got to give some raps to Turtles for the sports gear and TAVs for the formal gear. Credit must go to the Cook Islands Tourism Corporation who facilitated the sponsorship for the TAVs and the hats worn by the men that were woven by the mamas of Tongareva,“ Brown said.

Timing restrictions meant the minister could only see one Cook Islander in action – sailor Helema Williams at the Weymouth course before heading back to Rarotonga.

Brown said he was very pleased with how she raced in her first Olympics.

”She was the youngest in the Laser Radial fleet. For her it’s a good grounding for the next Olympics.

”Some are at their third or fourth Olympics. It’s an event where you don’t peak until you’re in your 30s and 40s,“ Brown said.

One of the quirky aspects of Brown’s trip was reuniting with Chef de Mission George George. The last time the pair went to an event – the Commonwealth Games in 1998 – the latter was the coach of the national sevens team that Brown managed.

”Fourteen years later we both go to an Olympic Games. I was definitely seeing it from a different perspective,“ Brown added.

The overall tournament was ”fantastic“ and people only needed to look at who was involved in the spectacle to understand its prestige, Brown said.