A group of Cook Islands Olympic team members are waiting to find out when they can return home, following the latest outbreak of Covid-19 in New Zealand.
The Cook Islands' delegation parade during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Photo: AFP
The delegation flew from Tokyo to Christchurch earlier this month on three separate charter flights with the New Zealand Olympic team.
The first group was released from MIQ on Monday and are all based in New Zealand but the Rarotonga based contingent are not due out until Sunday at the earliest.
Their travel plans are now uncertain after New Zealand went into lockdown and the Cook Islands governmentsuspended the travel bubble between the two countries.
"We were supposed to leave in the afternoon on the 24th," explained Team Cook Islands Chef de Mission John Paul Wilson from his hotel room near Christchurch Airport.
Team Cook Islands Chef de Mission John Paul Wilson in Tokyo. Photo: Supplied
"So we might have to leave on the 24th or catch the early flight in the morning on the 25th and hook up with the plane flying back to Raro (from Auckland) but it depends on the situation back in Raro."
Wesley Roberts was the first Cook Islands athlete to depart Tokyo. The Australian-based swimmer is already back home after completing two weeks quarantine in Sydney.
Canoe slalom athlete Jane Nicholas arrived in Christchurch on 2 August, alongside her coach and mum Sue, swimmer Kirsten Fisher-Marsters and Cook Islands national swimming coach Horst Miehe.
The New Zealand based quartet were released from quarantine on Monday, a day before the government announced a level 2 lockdown.
"They're lucky because they all stay in New Zealand, so all we had to was get them back to New Zealand," Wilson explained.
Kirsten Fisher-Marsters, Wesley Roberts and Jane Nicholas in Tokyo. Photo: Facebook/Cook Islands Canoeing Association
Canoe sprint athletes Jade Tierney and Kohl Horton, coach Tim Tierney, middle distance runner Alex Beddoes and team doctor Dr Teariki Puni arrived in New Zealand on 8 August and are staying at the Novotel Christchurch Airport.
The final group, including Cook Islands Sports and National Olympic Committee (CISNOC) President Hugh Graham, Secretary General Owen Lewis, Sports Manager Raukura Ellison and John Paul Wilson arrived two days later and are based across the road at the Sudima Christchurch Airport Hotel.
Graham said the New Zealand Olympic Committee have invited them to join their athletes and officials, who will be catching domestic flights around the country once they've completed their time in quarantine.
"We're piggybacking the same arrangements Team New Zealand have arranged for their athletes and officials to get back to Auckland."
Canoe sprinter Jade Tierney and her dad Tim are among the Cook Islands delegation in quarantine. Photo: Canoe & Kayak Cook Islands
The group are booked in to spend a couple of nights at the Heartland Hotel by Auckland Airport, while they await a potential flight home, but that could be extended further.
Graham said the Cook Islands delegation has been in contact with the Secretary of Health, Bob Williams, who indicated there will be an opportunity to return to Rarotonga next week.
"It's likely there will be a flight because it's not just us," he said. "There's the badminton youth group who are in Auckland and a few teachers here on holiday and government workers."
President of the Cook Islands Sports and National Olympic Committee, Hugh Graham, and Secretary General Owen Lewis. Photo: Facebook / Cook Islands Sports
When they do get back home, another two-week stay in quarantine is likely, John Paul Wilson explained.
"Before we had the bubble people had to do two weeks quarantine self-isolation in their own house so it looks like it might (go back to that)," he said.
"Even before that we had the Edgewater Resort that was keeping everyone when they started to fly everyone back into Raro, so they were spending two weeks in the resort.
"Because the resorts didn't have any tourists they took that opportunity through the government but now that tourism is back we will have to be isolated in our own homes and our families might have to go stay with other families just to make way for us."
Without New Zealand's help they would have faced a much longer stint away from home, even without the latest Covid outbreak, Wilson said.
"I just want to thank the New Zealand Olympic Committee for allowing us to catch the charter to come back through to Christchurch.
"It made it easier for us to go through New Zealand because of the MIQ because if we were to do it on our own I think we would be in New Zealand for another two months I think."
In the meantime the nine athletes and officials are counting down the days in MIQ. The two groups are staying in separate rooms but Wilson said they are free to interact with each other during their twice-daily exercise breaks.
"After the third day day we were in the MIQ, when the test came back that we were all negative so we received a band.
"Then after the third day we've been allowed out of our room for two sessions, one in the afternoon and one in the evening. So we get a chance to get out of our room then we actually mingle with the rest of our group when we get out there."
