Cook Islands lawn bowler Teokotai Jim named Games flag bearer
Cook Islands lawn bowls veteran Teokotai Jim says it was an honour to lead her nation at the 2026 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony in Glasgow. The 60-year-old is making a record fifth Games appearance for the Cook Islands and is competing alongside her daughter Emily.
Key Takeaways
- Teokotai Jim carried the Cook Islands flag at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony.
- At 60, she is making a record fifth Games appearance — more than any other Cook Islands athlete.
- She is competing in lawn bowls with her daughter Emily; bowls began hours before the ceremony on Thursday.
- Jim is a Pacific Games gold medallist and has national titles spanning singles, pairs, triples and fours.
For readers tracking Pacific athletes and the stories behind major Games moments, BlasterPost Net Worth & Wealth covers how public recognition and career milestones reshape profiles beyond the podium.
Who is Teokotai Jim and why was she chosen as flag bearer?
According to ABC Pacific, Jim called it an honour to lead the Cook Islands out at the opening ceremony. Glasgow is her fifth Commonwealth Games — the most by any Cook Islands athlete.
She first competed in Delhi in 2010, then Glasgow in 2014, the Gold Coast in 2018 and Birmingham in 2022, where she lined up with her two daughters. That longevity, plus her role building lawn bowls at home since 1998, frames her selection to carry the flag.
How did Teokotai Jim build her lawn bowls career?
Jim began in 1998 by gathering people interested in the sport and forming a team. Her national results include a 2019 pairs win and a top-four finish in singles, a 2020 national triples title and a fours runner-up place, then a 2021 finish of second in singles, a pairs top-four finish, a back-to-back triples win and another fours runner-up.
She is also a Pacific Games gold medallist, finishing first ahead of Papua New Guinea in women's singles, and won bronze in women's pairs at the 2015 South Pacific Games in Port Moresby.
Why does competing with her daughter matter to Jim?
Lawn bowls at Glasgow started a few hours before Thursday's opening ceremony, with Jim competing alongside daughter Emily. "My family has always been the purpose of my journey in lawn bowls, and to be here to compete with my daughter is a great privilege," she told ABC Pacific.
"It feels great to be here at the Games, and I thank Cook Islands for giving me this opportunity to represent again," Jim said. "When I step onto the lawn bowl rinks, I know I am leading my team and representing my family back home in Cook Islands."
Her flag-bearer role caps a long Pacific Games journey: five Commonwealth appearances, national titles across formats, and a mother-daughter partnership still representing the Cook Islands on the world stage.