▁Olympics , ▁there ▁had ▁not ▁been ▁a ▁Cook ▁Island er ▁who ▁has ▁won ▁a ▁medal ▁at ▁the ▁Olympics . ▁Sam ▁P era , ▁Jr ., ▁a ▁weight l if ter , ▁was ▁the ▁flag b ear er ▁for ▁the ▁Cook ▁Islands ▁at ▁the ▁cer emon ies . ▁ ▁Athletics ▁ ▁Men ' s ▁competition ▁Gordon ▁He ather ▁was ▁the ▁sole ▁male ▁Cook ▁Island er ▁particip ating ▁in ▁a ▁track ▁event ▁at ▁the ▁Be ij ing ▁Olympics , ▁marked ▁by ▁his ▁competition ▁in ▁the ▁men ' s ▁ 1 0 0   met ers ▁dash . ▁Born ▁on ▁R ar ot ong a , ▁the ▁most ▁popul ous ▁of ▁the ▁Cook ▁Islands ▁and ▁the ▁home ▁to ▁its ▁capital ▁city ▁( d istrict ), ▁He ather ▁was ▁ 1 8 ▁years ▁old ▁when ▁he ▁participated ▁in ▁the ▁Be ij ing ▁Olympic . ▁He ▁had ▁not ▁previously ▁competed ▁in ▁any ▁Olympic ▁games . ▁During ▁the ▁ 1 4 ▁August ▁qual ification ▁round , ▁He ather ▁participated ▁in ▁the ▁nin th ▁heat , ▁which ▁included ▁eight ▁athlet es . ▁He ▁finished ▁the ▁dash ▁in ▁ 1 1 . 4 1   seconds , ▁placing ▁last ▁in ▁the ▁heat . ▁Mic ron esia ' s ▁Jack ▁Howard ▁placed ▁ahead ▁of ▁He ather ▁( 1 1 . 0 3   seconds ) ▁in ▁sevent h ▁place . ▁He ather ' s ▁heat ▁was ▁led ▁by ▁Q atar ' s ▁Samuel ▁A de leb ari ▁Francis ▁( 1 0 . 4 0   seconds ) ▁and ▁Tr in idad ▁and