Gambin qualifies for Olympics

Swimmer Ryan Gambin achieved the B qualification entry time during the European Championships yesterday which meant an automatic berth at the 2008 Olympic Games this year.

In a statement, the Maltese Olympic Committee said Gambin, a member of the MOC Centre of Excellence and MIA Bronze Category athlete, will be representing the country in Beijing in August following his exploits in Eindhoven.

Gambin, 23, won the second heat of the 100m butterfly yesterday in 54.33 seconds. The B qualification time for Beijing was set at 54.71.

Last month, Gambin had clocked 55.74 in an ASA time-trial meet.

This is the first time, the MOC said, that a Maltese swimmer had qualified through his own merit for the Olympic Games.

In his race, Gambin swam faster than swimmers from Denmark, Latvia, Hungary, Israel, Turkey, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Switzerland. With his time, the Australia-based swimmer finished 30th out of 56 swimmers.

The MOC also said yesterday that the IOC had confirmed the invitations of Double Trap shooter William Chetcuti and judoka Marcon Bezzina to take part in the Beijing Games. Other athletes are still to be chosen in the near future, the MOC said.