Cook Islands aquatic top female swimmer Lanihei Connolly will be part of the Cook Islands Pacific Mini Games 2025 team to Palau next month.

The 12^th Pacific Mini Games will be held in Koror, Palau from June 29 to July 9.

Cook Islands Sports and National Olympic Committee (CISNOC) announced the selection of Team Cook Islands for the Pacific Mini Games 2025 this week.

Connolly made a splash at the Australian Open Swimming Championships at the Brisbane Aquatic Centre breaking personal best (PBs) records and Cook Islands national records in April this year.

She had achieved three PBs and Cook Islands national records in the 50m, 100m and 200m breaststroke, winning the age group final for all these three events as well.

In 2024, she made history by winning a silver medal in the 100 metres breaststroke event at the Oceania Championships in Gold Coast.

She is the first female swimmer from the Cook Islands to place in the top 10 of any swim categories in Australia.

Connolly also made her mark at the 2023 Pacific Games where she claimed two medals, a gold and a silver, in her debut appearances. She won gold in the 50-metre breaststroke for women and silver in the 100-metre breaststroke.

She has been training at the Bull Sharks since December 2023, as the first cohort of the World Aquatics Training Centre established at Bond University, Queensland, Australia.

Also joining her is Jacob Story who had represented the country at the 2024 World Aquatics Swimming Championships in Budapest.

Also included in the Pacific Mini Games 2025 team Cook Islands are:

Aquatics: Mia Laban , Carter Makira, Alicia Story and Te Ari'i Aperau-Bob.

Athletics: Samasoni Hewitt (High Jump), Estelle Short (100m & 200m), Piritau Nga (Long Jump), Ana Ellison-Lupena (Discus) and Emma Papalii (Shot Put).

Weightlifting: Etoa Puni and Matanoko Mcdonald.

Oe vaka (canoeing): Talissa Koteka 

Beach volleyball: Men's Team: Brendan Heath, Raitiavatea Herman. Women's Team: Alanna Smith and Twinna Tangirere 

Officials: Chef de Mission Mark short 

Pacific Games Association Representatives: President:  Luisa Peters 

Aquatics Officials: Horst Miehe and Kieran Chan 

Athletics Official: Marie William 

Weightlifting Official: Martin Stetka 

Beach Volleyball Officials: Kaitini Herman, Tiare Karaponga and Konini Rongo 

Team Manager: Brianna Lewis 

CISNOC has congratulated the selected athletes and officials and extends heartfelt gratitude to the National Federations for their unwavering support in preparing the team for competition in Palau. 

Meanwhile, in a statement CISNOC says that in addition to competing at the 2025 Games, the Cook Islands delegation will participate in a significant milestone event.

“As the Cook Islands is set to host the 2029 Pacific Mini Games, the Cook Islands Government has been invited to stand alongside the Pacific Games Association President in a host handover ceremony during the closing ceremony of the 2025 Mini Games.

“The Cook Islands Government will be responsible to send delegates should they wish to take up this offer. This ceremony will officially mark the transition and begin the countdown to the Cook Islands hosting this prestigious regional sporting event in 2029.”