PB not enough

Cook Islands swimmer Tepaia Payne’s Olympic campaign lasted a little over 25 seconds as the swimmer was knocked out in the heats of the 50 metres freestyle yesterday.

Posting a time of 25.26 seconds, Payne finished in a tie for 41st in the field of 60 at London’s Aquatics Centre.

The Cook Islands swimmer could not catch Bermudan swimmer Roy Burch, who topped the heat with a time of 22.47 seconds. The win still wasn’t enough to secure a top 16 berth for the Bermudan, who missed the semifinals by 0.2 seconds.

As well as a new personal best – his previous fastest 25.27 seconds set at a meet in Singapore last November – the experience of attending and competing in the world’s greatest sporting showcase will no doubt leave him feeling more than able of competing at the highest level.

The swimmer then went from competitor to cheerleader as he supported fellow swimmer Celeste Brown, who was due to race overnight in the women’s 50 metres freestyle. She, like Payne, was to race in the fourth heat of her event. Payne joined Ella Nicholas as the two Cook Islands athletes to have been knocked out of the London showcase after the latter exited in the heats of the women’s K1 event.

Meanwhile, Cook Islands sailor Helema Williams has resumed her racing at the Weymouth and Portland course and has four races remaining – including two that were due to take place early this morning (Friday CIT).

Currently sitting in last position and three points adrift of the Virgin Islands’ Mayumi Roller, Williams has a big task ahead of her if she wants to get herself off the foot of the women’s Laser Radial standings. Her last result before the rest day – a 28th position after earlier going through the opening three marks in 16th – will give the Manihiki sailor some renewed confidence after what is expected to be another challenging four races.

Brown and Williams start a big Olympic weekend for Cook Islands athletes, who will take part in the preliminary races of both the men’s and women’s 100 metres sprint, the 75-kilograms-and-over division of the women’s weightlifting and canoeing at the Eton Dorney site.

Track athlete Patricia Taea is the first to take part over the next few days with the women’s preliminary 100 metres races.

She will need to race her heart out if she is to better her personal best of 12.44 seconds that she set at the World Athletics Championships in Daegu last month.

Taea will have a fair amount of support, including that of fellow athlete Patrick Tuara, who will compete in the next day’s preliminaries of the men’s 100 metre sprint.

The 19-year-old athlete will also be looking to better his 11.71 second personal best, and with that record coming only two months ago at a meet in Cairns there is a good chance of another milestone.

Teenage weightlifter Luisa Peters’ Olympic campaign gets underway on Sunday when she participates in the women’s 75-kilogram-and-over category.

With just a few days remaining the nerves will be starting to creep into the youngster’s mind as she gets set to battle with the best at the ExCeL.

It will then be canoeist Josh Utanga’s job to keep Cook Islands’ pride alive with good performances in the men’s K1 1000 metres and K1 200 metres races at the beginning of next week.