Cook Islands at the 2018 Commonwealth Games Cook Islands at the 2018 Commonwealth Games The Cook Islands competed at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in the Gold Coast, Australia from April 4 to April 15, 2018. The Cook Islands delegation consisted of 18 athletes (7 male and eleven female) that competed across four sports: athletics (track and field), lawn bowls, swimming and weightlifting. It was The Cook Islands's 11th appearance at the Commonwealth Games. On February 27, 2018, track and field athlete Patricia Taea was named as the nation's flag bearer at the opening ceremony. Taiki Paniani and Aidan Zittersteijn won the country's first ever Commonwealth Games medal,
History of the Cook Islands the Cook Islands are essentially independent (self-governing in free association with New Zealand), but are still officially placed under New Zealand sovereignty. New Zealand is tasked with overseeing the country's foreign relations and defense. The Cook Islands, Niue, New Zealand (and its territories: Tokelau and the Ross Dependency) make up the Realm of New Zealand. After achieving autonomy in 1965, the Cook Islands elected Albert Henry of the Cook Islands Party as their first Prime Minister. He was succeeded in 1978 by Tom Davis of the Democratic Party. On 11 June 1980, the United States signed a treaty with the