Swimming

Papua New Guineas super fish and swimming hero Ryan Pini is yet to get in the water for his first heat.

Pini is spending much of his time in the competition pool getting a taste of facility while waiting for his event to unfold.   

The Super Fish is scheduled to swim in the Men's 100m butterfly on Friday August 12, however, the event is yet to be confirmed as he is prepares for anything that’s pops up his way.

The 100m butterfly will be his first heat before progressing into other finals and other scheduled events.

FINA has accused them of showing “disrespect” for their requirements by providing substandard facilities and failing to act on warnings about the hazardous nature of the open water swimning venue at Copacabana beach and nearby open-air venues for diving, water polo and synchronised swimming.

In a letter seen by Associated Press, the FINA President, Julio Maglione, has complained to the Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes about a range of issues.

Carlo in his report to the Pacific Games Council (PGC) Annual General Meeting in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea yesterday said swimming one of the major attractions at any Pacific or Oceania meet is not on the programme.

“We had discussions with the Pacific Games Council executives on deleting swimming, there’s also a big question mark on  weightlifting because you know the small countries would like to have weightlifting because its their medal winning event.”

This is Pini’s second gold for the night and seventh overall in this Pacific Games.

Pini broke his own record of 56.54 sec in a new time of 56.0 sec.

Pini has so far won five gold including his latest in the mixed 50m freestyle relay.

He also won gold in his favourite events the 50m and 100m butterfly.

Pini will be competing in the 50m freestyle and 100m backstroke finals this evening after clocking the fastest in 50m freestyle breaking another record with 23.21 sec.

“My 100m backstroke should be very good but it’s anyone’s race in the 50m freestyle, I just have to get out there and give it my all,” he said.

Pini clocked the fastest in the men’s 50m butterfly in 24.58 seconds ahead of Tahiti.

Samuel Seghers also qualified in the 50m butterfly in a time of 25.51 seconds.

Savannah Tkatchenko qualified in the women’s 100m breaststroke on 1 minute,16 seconds while Barbara Vali-Skelton clocked 1minute,19seconds.

Ryan Maske and Askley Seeto qualified in the men’s 200m breaststroke event.

Anna-Liza Mopio Jane clocked seventh fastest in the women’s 50m butterfly and Stanford Kawale qualified in the men’s 200m medley. 

Pictured are men in this morning's hits.

Led by super fish Ryan Pini, PNG dominated the race in the first lap but fell behind New Caledonia who took out gold after clocking a time of 1:49:94 sec. This is the first Games record for the event.

PNG came in at 1:52:04 sec with Anna-Liza Mopio-Jane finishing the race for PNG.

This event included two males and two females each from every country that took part.

Countries that participated in this event were Solomon Islands, Tahiti, Guam, Palau, bronze medalist Fiji, New Caledonia and PNG.

The Games record for the 400m freestyle of 4:04:72 sec was broken by Tahiti with Rahiti De Vos clocking 3:56:82 sec to win gold and Hugo Lambert swimming 4:02:90 sec to grab silver.

The bronze medal went to Jeremie Dufourmantelle of New Caledonia with a time of 4:04:96 sec.

Tahiti also did well in the 100m freestyle with Stephane Debaere taking out silver in a time of 51:04 sec behind Ryan Pini’s 50:63 sec.

Lambert grabbed his second medal  last night, finishing third behind team mate Stephane in the100m freestyle in a time of 51:41 sec.

Pini clocked 50:63 sec,  faster than his qualifying time of 51.94 sec.

Finishing second was Stephane Debaere of Tahiti timed at 51:04 sec.

In third place was another Tahitian Hugo Lambert clocking in at 51.72 sec.

Seghers and Pini will compete in the 100m freestyle final in lanes five and two respectively.

The 20 year old did well in his heat this morning recording a time of 51.62 sec, faster than Pini's 51.94 sec.

Both swimmers finished first in their heats.

Seghers finished second in the 100m butterfly final to win silver behind Pini who won gold yesterday.