The aquatics events, held over a three-day race, were the first of the Cook Islands Games’ sports to conclude with Team Rakahanga waving their flag with pride as they dominated several categories.

Rakahanga dominated both the open water boiler swim race on Tuesday and the open water 1.5-kilometre race in Muri on Monday, winning the open men’s and Under 14 girls categories.

Winner of the men’s open water boiler swim and the Motu race, Temaruata Strickland dedicated his two gold medals to his island.

Strickland, the former national swimmer, hopes his win serves as an inspiration to the youth of Cook Islands and Rakahanga.

“I feel relieved that it’s over, the body was feeling pretty sore at the end of every single race but I feel stoked,” he told Cook Islands News.

“Intermittently, I was just training maybe once or twice a week, just more long-distance training rather than sprinting but I was spending more time on top of the water than I was in it.”

For Strickland, swimming is more than just fitness and health; it’s also about inspiring the youth to get involved and showing them how fun it can be.

When asked about the inspiration behind Rakahanga’s success this year, he said, “I was caught off guard, especially with this little one over here, this is the new golden girl from Rakahanga. They all came over, the whole family competed, mom, dad and their four children. They took out all the medals amongst all the under 14s, under 18s and I was just lucky enough that they’re part of Rakahanga.”

The Makira family of six from New South Wales, Australia, played a key role in Rakahanga’s swimming success.

Their youngest son, Lincoln Makira, 8, says he loves coming back to the Cook Islands and represent Rakahanga in swimming.

“I have always loved swimming and I just want to say that I love swimming and I love being here and it has been amazing, Raka! Raka! Raka!” Makira said.

Romani Katoa, president of the Cook Islands Aquatics Federation, also highlighted Rakahanga’s dominance but stressed that the main success of the sport was seeing smiles at the end of the race.

“The success is I guess seeing the happy faces … it’s always good to see a good spread of results across different islands, especially this time of year-round with the Northern group from Rakahanga,” Katoa said.

“Last time usually it’s been Aitutaki taking out most of the medals, but this time around I think they were a bit shook that Rakahanga from the Northern group, even Pukapuka with a couple of their surprises, came off with some good results but Mitiaro, Mangaia, Mauke, Rarotonga, it’s a good mix of results.

“For us we’re just happy to see everyone start the event and finish the event with a smile on another beautiful day.”

Katoa added that Tuesday’s event with the boiler swim was challenging due to the conditions.

However, he said the main goal was to see the young children who have been swimming for only a short time under the swimming programmes in Rarotonga and the outer islands developing well.

“We want to teach all our kids how to swim, they all need to be able to swim, they all need to learn how to swim, and it’s not just a Cook Island thing, it’s a Pacific thing. We’re doing our part here in the Cook Islands, and we’re just happy to celebrate that through Cook Island sports, and we just hope to encourage the next and future Olympians and Commonwealth Games and Pacific Games champions from here.”

Meanwhile, only two islands competed in the spearfishing exhibition competition which was won by Team Atiu while Rakahanga finished second.

The prize giving was held at the Trader Jack’s on Tuesday afternoon.

Open Water Boiler Swim results on Tuesday: Under 14 Women’s: (1) Rakahanga (2) Pukapuka (3) Rarotonga; Under 14 Men’s: (1) Mangaia (2) Aitutaki (3) Aitutaki; Open Women’s: (1) Aitutaki (2) Mitiaro (3) Mangaia; Open Men’s: (1) Rakahanga (2) Aitutaki (3) Manihiki; Master’s: (1) Mangaia (2) Pukapuka (3) Mitiaro.