Sport and Autism.

Sam Holness – ‘I just like racing.’

Sam Holness was the first triathlete with autism from the BAME community to complete the Ironman World Championships, (October 2023 – Kona, Hawaii)

Sam’s parents have always focused on the things he can do, rather than the things he can’t. They realised that competing in sport helped Sam in numerous ways:-

1. Sport increases his self-esteem. 

Sam’s success in triathlons gave him confidence, helping him to feel good about himself, as well as keeping him fit. Sam’s overwhelming desire to compete and his early successes, enabled him to surmount some of the challenges of autism that might have otherwise proved to be a personal barrier. 

2. Sport plays to his strengths.  

Neurodiverse individuals are known for their ability to hyperfocus and become immersed in tasks to the exclusion of everything else. This is the sort of focus that Sam can apply to his sport. Like many individuals with autism, he finds it easy to focus on the minutia of a task, working to improve the detail of his performance. In triathlon this might include a slight refinement of his swimming stroke, perhaps learning to mount the bike more smoothly or improve his running style. 

Sam thrives on structure and purposeful direction, and relishes the repetition and routine of his training schedule. 

‘Because I like doing repetitive tasks, training for endurance sports is perfect for me.’

3. Sport gives others an understanding of his preferred ways of working. 

When an individual with autism engages in a sport, it gives an insight into their strengths and an understanding of how they like to learn. Sam’s parents discovered that Sam was a strong visual learner and watching videos helped him to prepare for a race. He learns best through regular, repetitive practice, and by taking a small step approach towards very specific targets. They found that more structured sports with regular feedback and rewards, were perfect for Sam, for example, he progressed well in judo when he was younger, because he appreciated the grading system of the different belts.

4. Sport provides Sam with opportunity for relaxation. 

Sam found the routine and repetition of triathlon training soothing. He’d always enjoyed swimming from an early age, so if he’d had a bad day, he would spend time swimming lengths of the pool to lower his anxiety levels. 

Sam is happy to do what he enjoys.  

‘Sometimes when I go to an event, I’m the only black triathlete, and the only one with autism. It doesn’t matter that it’s just me. I just like racing.’