▁of ▁his ▁participation ▁at ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁Summer ▁Olympics , ▁and ▁had ▁not ▁previously ▁participated ▁in ▁any ▁Olympic ▁games . ▁During ▁the ▁pre lim inary ▁r ounds , ▁which ▁took ▁place ▁on ▁ 9 ▁August , ▁the ▁Cook ▁Island er ▁participated ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁heat , ▁which ▁included ▁three ▁people . ▁Of ▁those ▁three , ▁Ok ot ai ▁ranked ▁third ▁after ▁finishing ▁the ▁event ▁in ▁ 1 : 2 0 . 2 0 . ▁O man ' s ▁Moh ammed ▁Al - H ab si ▁ranked ▁ahead ▁of ▁Ok ot ai ▁( 1 : 1 2 . 2 8 ), ▁while ▁Q atar ' s ▁Os ama ▁Moh ammed ▁Ye ▁Al ar ag ▁took ▁first ▁in ▁the ▁heat ▁( 1 : 1 0 . 8 3 ). ▁Of ▁the ▁ 6 3 ▁athlet es ▁who ▁finished ▁the ▁qual ification ▁he ats , ▁Ok ot ai ▁ranked ▁last . ▁He ▁did ▁not ▁advance ▁to ▁later ▁r ounds . ▁ ▁We ight l ifting ▁▁ ▁Sam ▁P era , ▁Jr . ▁was ▁the ▁only ▁Cook ▁Island er ▁particip ating ▁in ▁weight l ifting ▁during ▁the ▁Be ij ing ▁Olympics . ▁Born ▁on ▁the ▁island ▁of ▁R ar ot ong a , ▁the ▁most ▁popul ous ▁Cook ▁Island , ▁P era ▁is ▁the ▁son ▁of ▁Sam ▁N un u ke ▁P era , ▁who ▁competed ▁for ▁the ▁Cook ▁Islands ▁in ▁the ▁same ▁event ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 2 ▁( Bar cel ona ), ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁( At l anta