The Cook Islands men come to Dakar 2026 as the sole Oceania representatives in both the men’s and women’s competitions, but the Pacific island nation is no stranger to the Youth Olympic Games, having appeared in the indoor competition at the debut edition – Singapore 2010.

Head coach back then, Makiroa MITCHELL JOHN, is now President of the Cook Islands Handball Federation and saw her team, who were more familiar with rugby league at the time, face a Hugo DESCAT and Timothey N’GUESSAN-inspired France in their opening match, followed by games against Korea and Singapore.

“They were so understanding towards us. They knew we were newbies but they embraced us and were so friendly,” said MITCHELL JOHN to IHF.info about their experience with their fellow handball nations in Singapore 16 years ago.

“We got better through that experience and learnt so much that we grew through indoor by ourselves without resources or technical advice and a lot of those players then recruited their siblings who went on to play at a national level for us – we are a family affair.”

Since 2010, the Cook Islands have become one of the leading Oceania handball nations alongside New Zealand and Australia, with their beach handball sides gaining recognition around the world for their playing style, positivity and determination to travel great distances across the world for the right to be on the world handball stage.

Now, the Cook Islands come to Senegal with hopes of stepping up another level after their men’s side became the first-ever team from their country to appear at an IHF World Championship after they appeared in Tunisia at the 2025 IHF Youth Men’s Beach Handball World Championship.

Despite not winning a game in Tunisia (aside from two walkover victories over Iran) the experience gained at the event was invaluable on and off the sand. Coach Peter TANGIMETUA JOHN has named two of the playing squad from Tunisia 2025 for Dakar, including captain Samania AIGANALUA and vice-captain Tepuretu TANGIANAU, with the remainder of his team all set to make their international debuts.

At Dakar 2026 the Cook Islands have been drawn again Germany, Thailand and Tunisia in group A with two of those encountered at Tunisia 2025 and both ending in 2-0 losses, against the host nation (0:20, 12:18) and Thailand (12:19, 12:23).

The squad of players for Dakar 2026 were all born in the Cook Islands where they still live and is a source of great pride, not least because many have links with the squad from Singapore 2010. Aurand TOU is the uncle of captain AIGANALUA, while vice-captain TANGIANAU saw two of his uncles – Tapi MATAORA and Munokoa ELIKANA – play in Singapore, just like Jireh MAEVA, whose uncle Gerald PIHO also played at that inaugural Games.

“I’m looking forward to the challenge of these top teams and to see where our level is at,” said AIGANALUA, who also represented the Cook Islands national junior football team, to IHF.info. “Myself and the vice-captain have already played against two of the teams in our group so I am excited to see how we have improved when playing them again. We are hoping for a better placing [than at Tunisia 2025], but we know it's not going to be easy.

“Playing in the Youth Olympic Games is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity we are truly grateful for. Representing not only our small nation, but also the whole of pacific in beach handball will be a privilege that we will not take for granted. We will give our best while learning as much as we can.”

51-year-old coach Peter TANGIMETUA JOHN is well-experienced in Cook Islands handball having helped sow the seeds of handball in general in the islands back when the sport was first introduced in 1998. He went on to represent the country both indoor and on the sand as a player and has coached all national representative teams. Earlier this year, record-winning Germany men’s coach Marten FRANKE travelled to the islands to help with their preparation for Dakar 2026.

“We play an ‘Island-style’ way where everything and anything is possible with an element of surprise,” explained Rarotonga native TANGIMETUA JOHN to ihf.info. 

“For the last 28 years I have dedicated my life to our handball family because everyone in our federation has blood-ties to me; I am honoured to be the uncle that has had a journey with all my nieces, nephews and mokopunas (grandchildren). God has blessed me with a legacy where my footprints are real and so are theirs. We made it together, hand-in-hand; myself as their ‘metua’(elder) and them as my ‘tamariki’ (children).

“We have crafted our way and our beacons have been set alight as we are on course to Senegal to be amongst the best with our international handball family. We come carrying all our Oceania nations, our Cook Islands and its people. We will deliver ‘Island ingenuity’ as best as we can defining our own playing style with cultural and spiritual significance.”

“Just by being at Dakar 2026 we have made history for all our 21 small island nations throughout our Oceania region. We also made history again representing our 15 islands of the Cook Islands that make up our country,” adds MITCHELL JOHN.

“We hope these footprints will give our sport of handball in this discipline of beach handball the recognition it deserves and history to be made when we debut at the Mini Pacific Games in 2029 which will be held in the Cook Islands. This is the biggest breakthrough in the Oceania region for our sport.”

The Cook Islands men’s beach handball team are part of a country delegation at Dakar 2026 which also includes two swimmers and a triathlete.

Coach: Peter TANGIMETUA JOHN
Key players: Tepuretu TANGIANAU (Defender), Aiganalua SAMANIA (Centre/Attacker)
Qualification information: Tunisia 2025 – Highest-ranked Oceania representative 
History in tournament: 2018: DNQ
Group at Dakar 2026: Group A – Tunisia (TUN), Thailand (THA), Germany (GER), Cook Islands (COK)