Ryan Pini

Ryan Pini

Personal information
Full name	Ryan John Pini
Nationality	Papua New Guinea
Born	10 December 1981 (1981-12-10) Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
Sport
Sport	Swimming
Stroke(s)	Butterfly
Club	Yeronga Park Swim Club (AUS)
Medal record Commonwealth Games Gold Melbourne 2006 100m Butterfly Silver Delhi 2010 100m Butterfly South Pacific Games Gold Suva 2003 100m Freestyle Gold Suva 2003 50m Backstroke Gold Suva 2003 100m Backstroke Gold Suva 2003 200m Backstroke Gold Suva 2003 50m Butterfly Gold Suva 2003 100m Butterfly Gold Suva 2003 200m I.M. Silver Suva 2003 50m Freestyle Silver Suva 2003 400m Free Relay Silver Suva 2003 800m Free Relay Silver Suva 2003 400m Medley Relay Bronze Suva 2003 200m Freestyle Gold Apia 2007 100m Freestyle Gold Apia 2007 200m Freestyle Gold Apia 2007 50m Backstroke Gold Apia 2007 100m Backstroke Gold Apia 2007 200m Backstroke Gold Apia 2007 50m Butterfly Gold Apia 2007 100m Butterfly Gold Apia 2007 200m I.M. Silver Apia 2007 50m Freestyle Silver Apia 2007 400m Freestyle Gold Nouméa 2011 200m Freestyle Gold Nouméa 2011 50m Backstroke Gold Nouméa 2011 100m Backstroke Gold Nouméa 2011 50m Butterfly Gold Nouméa 2011 100m Butterfly Silver Nouméa 2011 100m Freestyle Silver Nouméa 2011 50m Freestyle Bronze Nouméa 2011 4x100m Medley

Ryan John Pini (born 10 December 1981 in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea) is a 2-time Olympic swimmer from Papua New Guinea. He swam for PNG at the 2004 and 2008 Olympics; also serving as the PNG flagbearer in 2008. He is the first PNG swimmer ever to reach an Olympic final.

While Pini grew up in Papua New Guinea, he currently trains primarily in Brisbane, Australia, and competes for the Yeronga Park Swim Club.

International career

2004 Summer Olympics

Pini competed in the 100 m Butterfly at the 2004 Summer Olympics, finishing 18th.

2006 Commonwealth Games

At the 2006 Commonwealth Games, Pini became the just the second individual from Papua New Guinea to win an individual gold medal at any Olympic or Commonwealth Games, when he won the Men's 100 m Butterfly. In doing so, Pini also won Papua New Guinea's first ever swimming medal at an Olympic or Commonwealth Games. His winning time of 52.64 was enough to edge out Michael Klim of Australia and Moss Burmester of New Zealand.

Pini also competed in the final of the Men's 50 m Butterfly, finishing fifth, and made the semifinal of the Men's 100 m freestyle.

2007 World Aquatics Championships

Pini competed in the 2007 World Aquatics Championships in Melbourne.

He reached the 100m butterfly and 50m butterfly semifinals.

He competed in the heats of the 100m freestyle.

2008 Summer Olympics

Pini was the flag bearer for Papua New Guinea at the Opening Ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.

Pini ranked first in the third heat of the Men's 100m Freestyle, but did not make a qualifying time for the semi finals. He also competed in heats for the 200m freestyle.

Pini competed in the 100m butterfly, where he was Papua New Guinea's most widely anticipated chance at attaining a first olympic medal. He competed in the finals, and finished 8th overall, in a tough line up which included American big fish Michael Phelps, who took gold. Pini was the first Papua New Guinean ever to swim an Olympic final.

2010 Commonwealth Games

Pini won Silver in 100m Butterfly Finals in a time of 52.50.

Training

Pini trains under supercoach Rick VanDerZant and alongside ex Australian swimming representative Andrew Mewing. His other training partners include Jackson VanDerZant, Sam James, Adam Hosking and Josh Smith.

Personal life

In his spare time Pini enjoys playing his Wii or relaxing at Stradbroke Island with his wife, Carly Vincenzi, who he wed in October 2011. In January 2011, Pini had his fourth shoulder operation.

Achievements

Pini won the Papua New Guinea Sportsman of the Year Award in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2011 and the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008.

He won the Male Swimmer of the Meet honors at the 2003 South Pacific Games, where he won 7 events, 4 in Games Records.

After his victory in the 100m butterfly at the 2006 Commonwealth Games, Pini was ranked number one in the world for the event and held this ranking for 4 months.

External links

• "Pini claims swimming glory", Naziah Ali, University of the South Pacific, 1 July 2003
• Radio Australia: PNG's Pini, Pacific ready for winning day eight

References

• "PNG wildcard bid fails for Paralympics, Mopio Jane through", ABC Radio Australia, 18 June 2008