By Dan Plouffe & Isabella Disley
Tyrone Henry was a little late for dinner, but right on time to accept the third athlete of the year honour of his career and second in a row from the Ottawa Sports Awards.
The three-time Paralympian’s tardiness came with an excuse that the crowd at the Infinity Convention Centre could certainly appreciate: he didn’t want to miss practice.
But his presence at the Feb. 4 ceremony also required an exceptional level of commitment – his workout with a group of national para ice hockey team players had been that afternoon in Oakville, and there was another one the next day that he wanted to attend, so he drove right back after the banquet.
Totalled up, Henry covered about 1,000 kilometres for the round trip within the space of 12 hours so he could attend the event.
“Getting the award for athlete of the year in Ottawa is a great honour,” underlined the Sledge Hockey of Eastern Ontario product. “Being able to be to represent this city, this country, on the international stage, and having the support of people in Ottawa, it means a lot to me.
“If me showing up is any way to show my appreciation for that, then I’ll do it, because this is where I got started, in para ice hockey, this is where my foundations are for my whole career, so I appreciate everything the city and the community here has given me.”
For the record, Henry’s practice was somewhat informal, as some Team Canada players had gathered before the full squad was set to join them on the weekend. Nevertheless, with the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games just over a month away at the time, the Team Canada assistant captain was laser-focused on being at his best for the March 7-15 tournament.
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“The Games are coming up quick, and we want to make use of every opportunity we can to get better,” highlighted Henry, who earned a silver medal at the 2025 world championships. “We’re feeling very confident. We have a very strong group of guys, led by some great staff and great coaches, so I think this year is very positive and very optimistic.”
Tyrone Henry receives the Ottawa Sports Awards athlete of the year trophy from city councillor Clarke Kelly (right) and OSA director Bill Magnus. Photo: Greg Mason / Ottawa Sports Awards
The 33-year-old defender had hoped the para ice hockey team would anchor the third leg of a triple Canadian gold medal performance in Milano Cortina, but instead his squad will hope third time’s a charm after the Canadian women’s and men’s teams lost Olympic heartbreakers in overtime.
The Canadians will enter the Paralympics as underdogs behind USA, who have won the past four Paralympic crowns. But Canada pulled off the upset over the Americans in the 2024 world championships and are eager to do it again.
“It’s going to feel like a Games this time. Last time, it was a little bit different with COVID,” noted Henry, whose team fell 5-0 to USA in the Beijing 2022 final. “This year, you can feel the hype building. The feeling is a lot different. Everybody’s driving for that same goal. We want to make sure that this Games is something special for everybody.”
Ivanie Blondin sets new benchmark for athlete of the year honours
Ivanie Blondin won the women’s mass start event in possibly her last appearance in a World Cup speed skating event in Calgary on Nov. 23, 2025. Photo: Dave Holland / Speed Skating Canada
With the Ottawa Sports Awards landing just two days before the Opening Ceremonies for the Olympic Winter Games, Ivanie Blondin couldn’t attend the banquet, but she went on to reward Ottawa sports fans with a historic double-podium performance in Milano Cortina.
The 35-year-old speed skater was given the Ottawa Sports Awards’ biggest prize for a record-breaking seventh time, surpassing the mark set by the woman whose name is on the trophy for Kristina Groves Female Athlete of the Year.
“If she was here today, she would tell you: ‘#1, enjoy sport,’” Blondin’s childhood coach with the Gloucester Concordes Mike Rivet told the crowd. “Sport is life. And it’s not immediate success. It’s a journey. Don’t forget that. Have fun all the way through and persevere and you will get where you want to go in sport.”
Ivanie Blondin’s father Bob Blondin (left) and Gloucester Concordes coach Mike Rivet. Photo: Greg Mason / Ottawa Sports Awards
Blondin told the Ottawa Sports Pages in 2024 as she neared Groves’ record that “it’d be pretty incredible if I could reach her kind of level.”
“I always looked up to Kristina Groves, she’s been one of my idols growing up,” added the winner of 94 career World Cup and 18 World Championships medals. “It was really cool that I was on the same team as her before she retired, and that I got to train alongside her.
“It’s such an incredible honour when I look at everything Kristina’s done and other female athletes from the Ottawa region have done before me.”
Blondin matched Groves and teammate Isabelle Weidemann’s Ottawa record of four Olympic medals and became Ottawa’s best-decorated Olympian of all-time as she earned gold and silver medals in Milano Cortina to match her haul from Beijing 2022.
There were many more prizes handed out at Canada’s long-running and most comprehensive amateur sport celebration, including major awards for coaches and teams of the year as well.
The Capital Courts Academy was a double-winner as they took home team of the year honours following their Ontario Scholastic Basketball Association women’s title alongside coach of the year honours for their bench leader Fabienne Blizzard.
It was also a double-win for the sport of track and field in major awards categories. Athletics Canada head coach Glenroy Gilbert earned his record-setting seventh coach of the year prize to surpass former Carleton University Ravens men’s basketball coach Dave Smart.
The club/provincial/national record-setting Ottawa Lions under-20 4×400-metre relay team earned team of the year honours.
The Ottawa Sports Awards also honoured four individuals for their lifetime contributions to sport in the capital.
While presenting the Mayor’s Cup for Outstanding Contribution to Sport in Ottawa, Mark Sutcliffe recalled that recipient Marci Morris is always moving, no matter if it was cross-country skiing, skating on the Rideau Canal, or any other activity outdoors (including enduring a snow squall to record a tribute video for the Ottawa Sports Awards).
WATCH | Ottawa Sports Awards 2025 Mayor’s Cup Recipient Profile: Marci Morris
“She brings that same energy and commitment to everything she does, including her leadership as the former executive director of the Ottawa Sport Council,” Sutcliffe said to the audience. “So thank you, Marci, for everything you’ve done for our city.”
Morris recently retired after serving as the founding executive director of the Ottawa Sport Council, which was established to support community sport and be the voice for sport in the city.
“The Ottawa Sport Council will continue, obviously, with your legacy, Marci, but without you, we wouldn’t be here,” OSC board chair Mathieu Fleury indicated.
Read More: Ottawa Sports Awards honouring four legendary figures, including Mayor’s Cup winner Marci Morris
The other lifetime achievement awards went to Maverick Volleyball Club founder Kerry MacLean, hockey official John Butcher and University of Ottawa Gee-Gees women’s soccer coach Steve Johnson.
WATCH | Ottawa Sports Awards 2025 Lifetime Volunteer/Administrator Award Winner Profile: Kerry MacLean
WATCH | Ottawa Sports Awards 2025 Lifetime Official Award Winner Profile: John Butcher
WATCH | Ottawa Sports Awards 2025 Lifetime Coaching Award Winner Profile: Steve Johnson
The OSA also presented Special Recognition Awards to Allan Ryan, who breathed life into the Stittsville Sports Hall of Fame, and Emily Bertrand, who’s worked to increased equestrian accessibility, while the Spirit of Sport Award went to Emma Shimizu, who stayed committed to coaching young girls in hockey, as well as parasport and Special Olympics athletes while she underwent cancer treatments.
The Ottawa Sports Awards recognized the top athletes in 70 sports as well as local champion teams. The full list of winners can be found at OttawaSportsAwards.ca/2025-Complete-List-of-Winners and the OSA’s event livestream replay can be viewed online as well.
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