The LEN European Swimming Championships held in Eindhoven was the venue and platform for Ryan Gambin to represent Malta for the first time at an international event.

His participation at these games 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.

Ryan Gambin a 22 year-old, Maltese/Australian athlete recently moved to Malta for good to follow his dream to represent and compete for Malta in the sport of swimming.

At the European Swimming Championships he had to prove to the Maltese that he was worthy to represent Malta and also to try and achieve the qualifying B time of 54.71secs in the 100m butterfly.

He not only achieved this objective but went beyond expectations by doing a 54.33secs!

He also broke and established four personal bests and new national records for Malta in the 50m Butterfly with a 24.81sec placing 27th out of 51 competitors; 100m Butterfly with a 54.33secs placing 30th out of 56 competitors; the 50m backstroke with a 26.78secs placing 25th out of 35 competitors and the 50m freestyle with a 23.98secs, placing 48th out of 56 competitors.

Ryan will now form part of Team Malta for the Beijing Olympic Games which take place in August later this year.

He will also work towards being part of Team Malta for next year’s Games of the Small States of Europe which will be held in Cyprus and the Mediterranean Games taking place in Pescara, Italy.

His presence in the swimming team augurs that the rest of the Maltese swimming team will benefit from his presence, helping them to reach higher standards and ensuring that Team Malta in the relay events will be a strong force to contend with!