Papua New Guinea’s “super fish” Ryan Pini is aiming to attend the 2016 Rio Olympic Games as a top qualified athlete.
Pini has so far qualified with a B timing and is aiming for an A qualifying time, which will be around the time that will make semifinals at the Olympics.
Pini told Loop PNG that this will solidify his selection but mostly he wants to ensure that he is going to Rio as a top qualified athlete, pushing himself as hard as he can.
He gained 3 Olympic B Qualifying times in the 100m butterfly, 100m freestyle and 100m backstroke.
“I am aiming for the 100m butterfly as my main event.
“The 100m backstroke and freestyle are also events I have qualified for, these events are before the butterfly so will be great lead-up races,” said Pini.
Pini will be competing in smaller competitions in the lead up to Rio to gain race experience.
Pini hopes to improve his timing at the Australian Championships from April 7-14 at Adelaide, Australia, which is a qualifying event.
He will also attend the Theodist National Championships in Port Moresby on April 20-22.
The last qualifying event he will attend is the Oceania Championships from June 20-24 in Fiji.
Samuel Seghers, Ryan Maskelyne and Barbara Vali-Skelton, who are yet to qualify for the games in August, will join Pini at these events to qualify.