▁ ▁References ▁▁▁ ▁Manh attan ▁Manh attan ▁Manh attan , ▁Number ed <0x0A> </s> ▁On ▁beh alf ▁of ▁the ▁Cook ▁Islands , ▁the ▁Cook ▁Islands ▁Sports ▁and ▁National ▁Olympic ▁Committee ▁sent ▁a ▁team ▁to ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁Summer ▁Olympics ▁in ▁Be ij ing , ▁China , ▁mark ing ▁its ▁sixth ▁consecutive ▁appearance ▁at ▁the ▁Olympics ▁since ▁its ▁debut ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁Summer ▁Olympics ▁in ▁Se oul , ▁South ▁Korea . ▁The ▁country ▁sent ▁four ▁athlet es ▁to ▁the ▁Games ▁across ▁three ▁sports ▁and ▁four ▁distinct ▁events ▁( G ordon ▁He ather ▁and ▁T ere ap ii ▁T ap oki ▁in ▁track ▁and ▁field , ▁Peter o ▁Ok ot ai ▁in ▁sw imming , ▁and ▁Sam ▁P era , ▁Jr . ▁in ▁weight l ifting ). ▁No ▁ath lete ▁of ▁the ▁Cook ▁Island er ▁deleg ation ▁progress ed ▁past ▁the ▁first ▁r ounds ▁in ▁their ▁events ▁( with ▁the ▁exception ▁of ▁weight l ifting , ▁where ▁the ▁first ▁round ▁was ▁the ▁only ▁round ) ▁and ▁did ▁not ▁go ▁on ▁to ▁win ▁med als . ▁P era ▁was ▁the ▁nation ' s ▁flag ▁bear er ▁at ▁the ▁cer emon ies . ▁ ▁Background ▁The ▁Cook ▁Islands ▁are ▁a ▁collection ▁of ▁fifteen ▁islands ▁lying ▁in ▁the ▁South ▁Pacific ▁Ocean ▁that ▁are ▁govern ed ▁under ▁a ▁single ▁parliament ary ▁entity . ▁Some ▁ 1 0 , 0 0 0 ▁people ▁live ▁in ▁the ▁dependency . ▁The ▁country ▁is ▁in ▁a ▁free ▁association ▁with ▁New ▁Zealand , ▁who ▁handles ▁the ▁nation