Cook Islands at the 2016 Summer Olympics

Cook Islands competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 5 to 21 August 2016. This was the nation's eighth consecutive appearance at the Summer Olympics.

Cook Islands at the 2016 Summer Olympics
Flag of the Cook Islands
IOC code	COK
NOC	Cook Islands Sports and National Olympic Committee
Website	www.oceaniasport.com/cookis
in Rio de Janeiro
Competitors	9 in 5 sports
Flag bearer	Ella Nicholas[1]
Medals	Gold 0 Silver 0 Bronze 0 Total 0
Summer Olympics appearances (overview)
1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024

Cook Islands Sports and National Olympic Committee selected a team of nine athletes, four men and five women, for the Games across five different sports. It was the nation's largest delegation sent to the Olympics, beating the record of eight athletes who attended the London Games four years earlier. For the second straight time in history, Cook Islands was represented by more female than male athletes at an Olympic circuit.^[2]

The Cook Islands roster featured three returning Olympians from London 2012, including sprinter Patricia Taea (women's 100 m), weightlifter Luisa Peters (women's +75 kg), and slalom kayaker Ella Nicholas, who accepted the honor of being the nation's flag bearer in the opening ceremony, along with her older brother Bryden.^[1][3] Cook Islands, however, has yet to win an Olympic medal.

Athletics

Main articles: Athletics at the 2016 Summer Olympics and Athletics at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Qualification

Cook Islands has received universality slots from IAAF to send two athletes (one male and one female) to the Olympics.^[4][5]

Key

• Note–Ranks given for track events are within the athlete's heat only
• Q = Qualified for the next round
• q = Qualified for the next round as a fastest loser or, in field events, by position without achieving the qualifying target
• NR = National record
• N/A = Round not applicable for the event
• Bye = Athlete not required to compete in round

Track & road events

Athlete	Event	Heat		Quarterfinal		Semifinal		Final
		Result	Rank	Result	Rank	Result	Rank	Result	Rank
Alex Beddoes	Men's 800 m	1:52.76	9	—		Did not advance
Patricia Taea	Women's 100 m	12.30	2 Q	12.41	8	Did not advance

Canoeing

Main articles: Canoeing at the 2016 Summer Olympics and Canoeing at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Qualification

Slalom

Cook Islands canoeists have qualified a maximum of one boat in each of the following classes. Because Australia and New Zealand both permitted to compete in the men's and women's K-1 through the 2015 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships, the spots have been automatically awarded to the Cook Islands as no continental race would be held with less than three nations eligible.^[6]

Athlete	Event	Preliminary						Semifinal		Final
		Run 1	Rank	Run 2	Rank	Best	Rank	Time	Rank	Time	Rank
Bryden Nicholas	Men's K-1	105.18	18	125.64	20	105.18	21	Did not advance
Ella Nicholas	Women's K-1	119.69	17	316.72	21	119.69	18	Did not advance

Sailing

Main articles: Sailing at the 2016 Summer Olympics and Sailing at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Qualification

Sailors from the Cook Islands have qualified one boat each in men's Laser and women's Laser Radial class through the individual fleet World Championships, and Oceanian qualifying regattas.^[7]

Athlete	Event	Race											Net points	Final rank
		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	M*
Taua Henry	Men's Laser	40	39	43	34	37	40	45	BFD	44	41	EL	362	46
Teau McKenzie	Women's Laser Radial	30	36	35	37	34	32	33	35	34	35	EL	303	35

M = Medal race; EL = Eliminated – did not advance into the medal race

Swimming

Main article: Swimming at the 2016 Summer Olympics

Cook Islands has received a Universality invitation from FINA to send two swimmers (one male and one female) to the Olympics.^[8][9]

Athlete	Event	Heat		Semifinal		Final
		Time	Rank	Time	Rank	Time	Rank
Wesley Roberts	Men's 1500 m freestyle	15:44.32	44	—		Did not advance
Tracy Keith-Matchitt	Women's 100 m freestyle	58.99	38	Did not advance

Weightlifting

Main articles: Weightlifting at the 2016 Summer Olympics and Weightlifting at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Qualification

Cook Islands has received an invitation from the Tripartite Commission to send London 2012 Olympian Luisa Peters in the women's super heavyweight category (+75 kg) to the Olympics.^[10]

Athlete	Event	Snatch		Clean & Jerk		Total	Rank
		Result	Rank	Result	Rank
Luisa Peters	Women's +75 kg	100	14	124	14	224	14