Ryan Gambin, who will be representing Malta at the forthcoming Beijing Olympic Games having qualified at the European Championships in Eindhoven, has just broken three national records at the Paris EDF Open.
In Eindhoven, Ryan set a national record in the 100m butterfly with a 54.33sec, beating the Olympic qualifying B time of 54.71secs.
This week, at the Paris Open EDF, Ryan broke three national records namely in the 100m butterfly bringing it down from 54.33secs to 53.94secs, placing fourth overall; in the 50m butterfly he brought it down to 24.48secs from 24.81secs also placing fourth overall; and in the 100m backstroke having just broke it in Luxembourg by fractions of a second, he did it again bringing it down from 1:01.01 to 1:00.11.
As reported earlier this week in The Malta Independent, before the Paris Open, Ryan took part in the Luxembourg Open Nationals where he continued with his trend in breaking records, breaking the 50m freestyle record twice.
In the heats he finished second overall with a time of 24.30 sec. In the final he lowered the record again to 23.73 secs, placing third place. Ryan also came first in the 50m butterfly and the 50m backstroke. He placed second in the 200m butterfly and in the 100m backstroke where he reduced the record which he holds by fractions of a second from 1:01.69 to 1:01.01. He also walked away with a third place in the 100m butterfly.
His participation at these games - the Paris Open and the Luxembourg Open - was made possible through the partnership agreement that the Maltese Olympic Committee has with Malta International Airport and as a member of the MIA Bronze Athlete Scheme of the MOC Centre of Excellence, thus benefiting from support and assistance to take part in competitions and training camps abroad.
The following are his results in the Paris and Luxembourg meetings:
Paris
(Record) 100m butterfy - final: 53.94 heat: 54.10 (0.54.33)
Record) 50m butterfly - final: 24.59 heat: 24.48 (0.24,81)
50m backstroke - heat: 27.52
(Record) 100 backstroke - heat: 1:00.11 (1,01.69)
Luxembourg
100m butterfly heat: 58.70 final: 56.41
50m butterfly heat: 25.54 final: 24.50
(Record) 50m freestyle heat: 24.30 final: 23.73 (0.23,97)
50m backstroke heat: 28.67 final: 27.47
200m butterfly final: 2:07.28
(Record) 100m backstroke heat: 1:07.50 final: 1:01.01 (1,01.69).