Olympians London-bound

After a busy few days having their photos taken, eating celebratory meals and listening to advice, the Rarotonga-based members of Team Cook Islands are finally on their way to the Olympic Games.

The group departed for London early this morning and will arrive in London just a few days out from the opening ceremony on Saturday.

The three local-based athletes, weightlifter Luisa Peters and sprinters Patrick Tuara and Patricia Taea, spent their last few days listening to motivational speakers in preparation for the global showcase.

The trio and other officials were hosted by deputy speaker of the house John Henry in Avatiu on Friday before going to a traditional farewell at Atu-pare Marae the following night.

In a return to old traditions, the ceremony is the first to be undertaken for national sports representatives leaving for competition.

The ceremony involved a village priest, known as a taunga, blessing areas of the marae before inviting a representative of the group to sit alongside him. It is then that the chief of the village, known as a kau-maiti speaks before allowing the representative to speak in the sacred marae.

Tetio Kaisara Pa ki Tonga Ariki, one of the chiefs on the marae, summarised everybody’s well-wishes in a simple sentence.

”Go for broke,“ the Pukapuka chief said in English to a smattering of smiles and laughter.

The second part of the ceremony saw Williamson introduce the travelling party to the chiefs in attendance before a dinner of Olympic proportions was served.

The group then posed for photos yesterday before attending the Cook Islands Catholic Church in Avarua before flying out this morning.

The full Team Cook Islands to attend the games is as follows – chef de mission George George Williamson, team administration Siniva Marsters, swimmers Celeste Brown and Zachary Tepaia Payne accompanied by team manager Romani Katoa and team coach Hugh Dokter, sprinters Patricia Taea and Patrick Tuara accompanied by team manager/coach John Teiti, slalom canoeist Ella Nicholas and her mother/team manager Sue Clarke and coach Aaron Osborne, fellow slalom canoeist Josh Utanga accompanied by his coach Joel Simpson, national sailor Helema Williams accompanied by manager Anne Tierney and coach Ben Paton, and weightlifter Luisa Peters accompanied by manager Unakea Kauvai and coach Sam Pera Snr.