Sponsorships
Dressing the Nation
By Gina Bamber
Jul 24, 2026At Glasgow 2026, Cook Islands flag bearers Teokotai Jim and Jacob Te Atamira Story led Team Cook Islands into the Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony wearing TAV.
Cook Islands flag bearers – lawn bowler Teokotai Jim and swimmer Jacob Te Atamira Story – led Team Cook Islands into the Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony.
It was not the first time.
TAV has designed and provided the uniforms worn by Cook Islands flag bearers and while supporting Cook Islands teams attending international sporting events since at least 2012. Over the years what began as an act of support has become one of the ways TAV contributes to the nation's representation on the international stage.
For TAV, it has never been about clothing.
Every athlete who earns the opportunity to represent the Cook Islands has invested years of discipline, resources, sacrifice and determination. By the time they step into an Opening Ceremony, they have already carried the weight of training, competition and expectation. TAV’s role is much simpler: to ensure they step onto the world stage feeling proud, confident and connected to the place they call home.
Veteran lawn bowler Teokotai Jim has competed in five different Commonwealth Games for the Cook Islands.
For a nation of just 15 islands, the Opening Ceremony is one of the few moments when the Cook Islands is seen by millions of people around the world. It is our first introduction before competition even begins. In that moment, the uniform becomes more than something to wear, it becomes a symbol of identity, culture and belonging.
Every Games tells a different story. Rather than repeating previous designs, Ellena Tavioni creates a new colour-way and design direction for each campaign, ensuring every uniform reflects that particular moment in our sporting history. Drawing on Cook Islands design language, cultural symbolism and local craftsmanship, each garment is designed to be unmistakably ours.
TAV's contribution has always been about recognising the commitment our athletes make in representing the country. Providing their Opening Ceremony uniforms is our way of acknowledging that commitment and reminding them that, although they may be standing in a stadium on the other side of the world, they never stand alone. They carry the pride of an entire nation with them.
"Looking smart, confident and professional is where it begins, and it sits at the heart of our vision to be the leading Olympic committee in the region," says CISNOC Secretary General Geoff Halston. "We see this partnership with TAV as a genuine step forward in that direction."
For Halston, international representation is about more than athletic performance. It is also about presenting the Cook Islands with pride, professionalism and confidence. TAV is proud to play a small part in helping Team Cook Islands make that first impression before competition begins.
What happens in a stadium overseas rarely stays there.
For a young person in Rarotonga, Aitutaki or any of the outer islands watching a Cook Islands athlete walk into an Opening Ceremony wearing TAV, the message is: you can stand on the world stage without leaving your identity behind. Excellence does not require becoming someone else. It begins with knowing who you are and where you come from.
That is why TAV continues to support Team Cook Islands.
