Robsen Dick.
News Brief:
If you have ever been to one of the famous fire shows in Vanuatu’s capital Port Vila, there is a chance you may have seen Robsen Dick perform as one of the shows fire dancers. Robsen is about to take his talents to a bigger stage, at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland (United Kingdom), where he will join Loane Russet OLY and Léo Lebot, in marking Vanuatu Aquatics Federation’s (VAF) first Commonwealth Games.
Robsen’s journey hasn’t been straight forward. Identified early in VAF’s development as a national federation, he travelled to Fiji as a teenager in the first Vanuatu team to compete overseas, before being lost to the sport shortly after. The journey picked up 10 years later, when Robsen ran into VAF President Nancy Miyake, at a fire show. Under her encouragement, Robsen decided to return to the sport and attended an open trial for the 2025 Pacific Mini-Games in Palau.
Robsen impressed the selectors and earnt a spot on the team to Palau, often training by himself in the lead up, doing laps up and down the beach at Blacksands. In a full circle moment, Robsen then returned to the same pool in Fiji he swam in as a teenager in Vanuatu’s first ever overseas team, for the 2026 Oceania Championships. A last day blistering 50m freestyle, then secured Robsen’s place on the 2026 Commonwealth Games team, where he will also swim in the 50m breaststroke.
Not content with being an athlete, Robsen has bigger plans for the sport in Vanuatu. He has set up his own swim club in his community at Blacksands, with the aim to give as many children as possible the essential lifesaving skill of swimming, while also trying to identify Vanuatu’s future national swimmers. Long term, alongside his cousin and 2024 Olympian Johnathan Silas OLY, he aims to return to his home island of Tanna and establish swimming as a sport.
Commenting on Robsen Dick, VAF Technical Director and Team Manager at Glasgow, Ben Howard said ‘Robsen embodies the reason VAF exists. Our primariy goal is to save lives and teach as many people as possible to swim, a goal that Robsen believes in and actions on a daily basis through his work with VAF and in his local community. Rosen is also proof that a talented athlete from Vanuatu, can make it to compete in the world’s biggest stages.’
The competition kicks off on Friday 24th July, with Loane Russet OLY competing in the Women’s 50m Butterfly. Robsen Dick and Léo Lebot kick off their campaigns, with the Men’s 50m Freestyle on Saturday 25th July. The heats begin at 10:30am local time (8:30pm in Vanuatu).
The full list of events is:
Friday 24th July:
- Women’s 50m Butterfly:
- Loane Russet
Saturday 25th July:
- Men’s 50m Freestyle:
- Léo Lebot
- Robsen Dick
Sunday 26th July:
- Men’s 50m Breaststroke:
- Robsen Dick
- Women’s 100m Freestyle:
- Loane Russet
Monday 27th July:
- Men’s 100m Freestyle:
- Léo Lebot
Tuesday 28th July:
- Women’s 50m Freestyle:
- Loane Russet
- Men’s 50m Butterfly:
- Léo Lebot