Ryan Pini made his Olympic debut at Athens 2004 and went on to serve as his country’s flagbearer at the Opening Ceremony of Beijing 2008, where he reached the 100m butterfly final. He also participated at London 2012 and Rio 2016.

Notably, Pini became just the second individual from Papua New Guinea to win an individual gold medal at any Olympic or Commonwealth Games, when he won the Men's 100m Butterfly at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. In doing so, Pini also won Papua New Guinea's first-ever swimming medal at an Olympic or Commonwealth Games.

Image Source: Ryan Pini earned a memorable 100m Butterfly gold at the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games (Phil Walter/Getty Images)

In addition to this, he represented his country in several World Aquatics competitions, winning a 100m Backstroke bronze at the Swimming World Cup stop in Singapore in 2011.

As an IOC mental health ambassador, Pini aims to break down barriers and tackle mental health stigma. His involvement with the Papua New Guinea Olympic Committee (PNGOC) and the Oceania National Olympic Committees (ONOC) has provided him with a platform to promote emotional well-being at events like the Oceania Athletes’ Forum, where he helped lead workshops focused on starting conversations about mental wellbeing.

It is a true privilege to take on this role
By Ryan Pini

Reflecting on his own journey, Pini shared a difficult period in 2009 when he began feeling disconnected from swimming.

“I was arriving late and leaving early; I wasn’t putting in any effort,” he said, recounting how a simple online search led him to the concept of mental health—a topic he hadn’t previously considered. He states that support from his coach and family helped him to navigate his path forward and reinforces the importance of creating safe spaces for athletes to speak openly about mental struggles.

World Aquatics fully supports Pini’s commitment to mental health awareness for all. As highlighted on World Mental Health Day, World Aquatics’ initiatives prioritise community mental health, aiming to create a safe and supportive environment for all its athletes and communities.