Stephenville Special Olympians named national athletes of the year
The odds of two national athletes of the year coming out of the same small club in Stephenville seems unlikely, if not impossible.
But Michael Budden, 21, and Samantha Walsh, 21, of the Bay St. George Bravehearts have defied the odds.
In November, Budden and Walsh respectively received Special Olympics Canada’s Male and Female Athlete of the Year awards.
They received their certificates and rings at a gala in Toronto in November.
The moment left Bravehearts coach Rosie Ryan beaming with pride.
“It’s overwhelming to see two athletes that you’ve coached this long to reach this level,” she told The West Coast Wire.
Ryan has coached Walsh for nine years with the Bravehearts. She has coached Budden for seven years with the Bravehearts and two years prior to that in high school.
When she found out she won the award, Walsh tells The West Coast Wire she felt “excited” and “special.”
Her favourite part of her Toronto trip was getting her ring.
“I love my ring very much,” she said.
Ryan recalled the way Walsh’s face lit up when she received it.
“The smile on her face,
I’ve never seen before, it was amazing,” she said. “It’s just a feeling that’s hard to imagine.”
For Budden, the experience was unforgettable.
“It was a moment I do think I will always remember,” he told The West Coast Wire. “It just felt really amazing.”
The National Athlete of the Year awards cap a successful season where Budden and Walsh both reached the podium at the Special Olympics World Games in Berlin this past June.
Budden walked away from the Games with a gold in men’s shot put, level B, while Walsh walked away from women’s standing long jump, level A, with a bronze.
Budden also competed in the 4x400 men’s relay and 400M level A track, while Walsh competed in the women’s 4x100 relay and 100M level A track.
“It was nice to see that all my effort and long hours really paid off,” said Budden, recalling how he felt on the podium. “It felt nice to have been able to achieve what I have achieved.”
Both Walsh and Budden say one of the things they will remember most from that trip are the friends and relationships they made.
“I love my new friends,” stated Walsh, adding that she also enjoyed visiting the zoo and the Berlin Wall during the trip.
Budden was left impressed by the extravagance of the opening ceremony.
“I’ve never really experienced anything like it,” he said. “They had actors, acrobats, people dressed in costumes, singers, the Blue Man Group, there was so much to it. That is definitely something I will always remember.”
The two Stephenville athletes compete in summer and winter sports. With the summer season behind, they’re already looking ahead to success in the snow.
Both Budden and Walsh have qualified to compete at the nationals in Calgary in February.
At the provincials, Walsh won gold in all three snowshoeing categories she competed in, the 100m, 200m and 400m.
She will hope to replicate that success on the national stage.
Budden, who qualified automatically, will be skiing in the 2.5K, 5K and 7.5K race.
At nationals, the goal is to qualify to represent their country once again, this time at the 2025 World Winter Games in Torino, Italy.
COMPETITORS
In the last nine years, Ryan been astounded by their progress.
Walsh, she says, was shy and timid when she started but has become a determined competitor.
“When she started to realize how fast she could run, she really came into her own,” said Ryan.
Budden required steady physical progress, with one of his legs two inches longer than the other.
Once his core improved, she says she was ready to push him more athletically.
“He got strong very quickly his high school years,” Ryan added.
She calls Budden a hilarious, naturally funny person, but also someone who is a deep competitor.
“Whenever people think of Michael, they think of his smile,” she added. “His smile is so contagious.”
Walsh, she says, is quiet, unassuming and humble. But that changes when she’s competing.
“When she puts on her bathing suit, her track shoes and you put her on the start lines, she’s totally different,” said Ryan. “She’s still quiet but she’s a fierce competitor.”
THE BRAVEHEARTS
Ryan feels it’s a big deal for two athletes from the same club to win these awards.
“It’s a big thing that one kid in Newfoundland would ever get a chance to win, let alone two in your club,” she stated. “So needless to say, it’s a lot of pride.”
The success of the club and its athletes is a testament to their supportive community and the work being done on the grassroots level.
Ryan estimates there are about 25 athletes registered in the Bay St. George Bravehearts.
All of them, she says, support and encourage each other.
“No matter which one gets to move forward, the whole club gets behind them,” said Ryan. “All those athletes are so proud of Michael and Sam.”
Moreover, they get support from the broader community.
A core group of coaches volunteer to train the athletes, as well as a group of high school athletes who assist with their training on a weekly basis.
When it’s not hands-on support, there are many groups in the community providing financial support to ensure athletes like Budden and Walsh can continue to progress.
Ryan and the two athletes are appreciative of all the support they have received.