Cook Islands veteran lawn bowler honored to lead country as Commonwealth Games flag bearer

Cook Islands veteran lawn bowler Teokotai Jim says it was an honour to lead her country out at the 2026 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony.

Glasgow marks the 60-year-old’s fifth appearance at the Games, the most of any athlete in the Cook Islands.

Jim is competing with her daughter Emily in the lawn bowls, which started a few hours early before the opening ceremony on Thursday.

Teokotai started her journey in 1998, when she had to gather those who had an interest in the sport before putting a team together.

Some of her achievements include the 2019 national singles, where she finished in the top four and was pairs winner, 2020 national triples (3s) winner and a runner-up in fours (4s).

In the 2021 national singles, she finished second, top four in pairs, a back-to-back winner in triples and again runner-up in 4s format.

She’s also a Pacific Games gold medallist, having finished first ahead of PNG in the women’s singles, and picked up a bronze in the women’s pairs during the then-2015 South Pacific Games in Port Moresby, PNG.

She first appeared at a Commonwealth Games in Delhi in 2010, then Glasgow in 2014, before the Gold Coast in 2018, and Birmingham in 2022, where she competed alongside her two daughters.

“It feels great to be here at the Games, and I thank Cook Islands for giving me this opportunity to represent again,” she said.

“When I step onto the lawn bowl rinks, I know I am leading my team and representing my family back home in Cook Islands.”