' s ▁external ▁affairs . ▁The ▁Cook ▁Islands ▁became ▁self - g over ning ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 5 . ▁ 2 3 ▁years ▁later , ▁the ▁Cook ▁Islands ▁sent ▁their ▁first ▁deleg ation ▁to ▁the ▁Olympics ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁Summer ▁Olympics ▁in ▁Se oul , ▁South ▁Korea . ▁Between ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁the ▁Cook ▁Islands ▁sent ▁deleg ations ▁to ▁all ▁six ▁Summer ▁Olympic ▁games . ▁The ▁size ▁of ▁the ▁Cook ▁Island er ▁deleg ation ▁was ▁largest ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 8 , ▁when ▁it ▁reached ▁seven ▁athlet es . ▁The ▁size ▁of ▁the ▁nation ' s ▁deleg ation ▁has ▁not ▁ris en ▁past ▁four ▁since ▁then ▁as ▁of ▁the ▁Be ij ing ▁Olympics . ▁ ▁At ▁Be ij ing , ▁four ▁athlet es ▁competed ▁for ▁the ▁Cook ▁Islands . ▁Of ▁those ▁compet itors , ▁three ▁were ▁men ▁( He ather , ▁Ok ot ai , ▁P era ) ▁and ▁one ▁was ▁a ▁woman ▁( T ap oki ). ▁They ▁competed ▁across ▁three ▁sports ▁( track ▁and ▁field , ▁sw imming ▁and ▁weight l ifting ) ▁and ▁four ▁distinct ▁events ▁( men ' s ▁ 1 0 0   met ers ▁and ▁women ' s ▁disc us ▁throw ▁in ▁track ▁and ▁field , ▁men ' s ▁ 1 0 0   met ers ▁breast stroke ▁in ▁sw imming , ▁and ▁men ' s ▁heavy weight ▁in ▁weight l ifting ). ▁As ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 8