Папуа Жаңа Гвинеяның төрт дүркін Олимпиада жүзушісі Райан Пини

Papua New Guinean swimmer

Ryan John Pini MBE (born 10 December 1981 in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea) is a 4 time Olympic swimmer from Papua New Guinea. He swam for PNG at the 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016 Olympics; also serving as the PNG flagbearer in 2008 and 2016. He is the first PNG swimmer ever to reach an Olympic final. Pini competes for the Boroko Swim Club.

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

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.

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 semifinals. He also competed in heats for the 200m Freestyle. Pini competed in the Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Men's 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.

Pini competed in the 100m Butterfly at the 2012 Summer Olympics, finishing 26th.

Pini competed in the 100 m Butterfly event at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. He finished in 30th place in the heats with a time of 53.24 seconds. He did not advance to the semifinals.

Pini trains under super coach Rick Van Der Zant and alongside ex Australian swimming representative Andrew Mewing. His other training partners include Jackson Van Der Zant, Sam James, Adam Hosking, and Josh Smith.

Pini was born and raised in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea and is the third youngest of four children (2 older brothers and 1 younger sister). His parents Kevin and Sarenah Pini own a family business, Theodist, based in PNG. Pini began swimming at the age of six and attended lessons at Boroko Amateur Swimming Club. By the age of six, he held a national record for his age group (8 and under). Graduating from Port Moresby International High School in 1999, Pini then moved to Brisbane to further his studies and to eventually pursue his swimming career. Shoulder injuries have hindered Pini, with his fourth shoulder operation done in January 2011.

Pini married Brisbane born Carly Vincenzi in October 2011 at Stradbroke Island. In his spare time, Pini enjoys wake boarding, kite surfing, diving and motor bike riding in PNG as well as snow boarding in Canada.