Young Cook Islands tennis players Tera Rongo and John Tui-Tonga Gibson have returned home with Fair Play and Sportsman awards from the Zespri AIMS Games 2023 in Tauranga, New Zealand.

Luca Rossouw, Rongo and Gibson feel honoured to have represented their home country at the Games and returning home encouraged and confident to continue their love for the sport.

The FairPlay / Sportsman Awards were given to Rongo for Girls Division 1 and Gibson for Boys Division 2.

It was the first that Cook Islands had a tennis team competing in the AIMS Games and according to the Zespri AIMS Games tennis committee they have thanked the Cook Islands team managers and players that made this year’s Tennis AIMS ‘extra special’.

Rongo said she had a good experience at the tournament and enjoyed the competition.

“I made a lot of friends. I hope to return to the AIMS Games next year and have a good time. I learnt a lot of things.”

She said at the Games she made a lot of friends and now she is focused on trying to get to the East Pacific Qualifying games.

Gibson shared similar sentiments and said it was an opportunity to play against players from New Zealand and now he is going to train hard to make it to the East Pacific Qualifying games.

Rossouw said he also enjoyed the tournament and gained experience competing against him and hoped to return to the AIMS Games next year.

Tennis Cook islands representative and proud mum Jackie Rongo said it was about sportsmanship and integrity.

"How you carry yourself and how you play the game... is perhaps the most important thing to strive for! "It's about the journey, not the destination! They carried themselves with grace and fought to the end fairly!"