Sam Holness, also known as "Super Sam," is the first person with autism to compete at the IRONMAN® World Championship.
In October 2022, the British athlete completed the 140.6 triathlon in the overall time of 13 hr 5 min 44 sec, establishing a historical landmark as the first openly autistic person to take part in the event at Kona, Hawaii.
Based in London, ambassador for the charity Ambitious About Autism and supported by a very passionate family, this incredible record holder could always count on the unfaltering support of his loving parents.
His father Anthony and mother Marilyn encouraged him from the very beginning, and kept a close eye on Sam's passions from a young age.
That didn't only allow Sam to become a champion, but also to build a beautiful relationship of mutual encouragement with his parents.
“The first indicator of Sam’s situation was his lack of speech, as well as his non-verbal speech. He could read and type, as well as point and indicate at what he wanted, but he couldn’t verbalize his thoughts and needs,” Marilyn explained during a chat with Guinness World Records on the occasion of World Autism Awareness Day 2023. “It was very much a matter of observation.”
“He has a great descriptive memory and creates skilled logic connections but, as a child, he was mostly describing. He could describe very complex things.” - Marilyn Holness
At the time, Sam’s mother pointed out, conversations about autism were still very rare.
However, the Holness family was ready to listen, adjust and nurture Sam's skills and uniqueness — allowing him to become a full-time athlete, an inspiration and achieve excellence in his field.
“I can’t do what Sam does,” his father Anthony, who also works as his full-time coach, pointed out. “Sam can finish an Ironman and earn a Guinness World Records title. People like him have extraordinary talents. They problem-solve differently, but it’s a different way of looking at the world that I think we should celebrate. That's why Sam has this shirt, saying 'Autism is my superpower'.”
"Repeating leads to mastery," Anthony says, and Sam applied this particular skill set to sports: he will swim, run, and train until he has become the best of the best.
Despite his versatility, Sam always liked swimming the best and it remains his favourite discipline to this day.
However, soon he discovered that he enjoyed cycling and doing park runs around Richmond Park, where he trains with his father.
That new passion for sports, an innate determination and a long training game gave Sam enough confidence to enter his first duathlon in 2016.
Fast forward to the present, seven years of training and many races later, Sam's love for marathons has led him to several competitions across the world, and earned him a coveted Guinness World Records certificate.
“It wasn’t until three years after the race in 2016, when I raced my first 70.3 Ironman in Portugal in 2019, that I decided that being a triathlete is what I wanted to do," Sam explains.
“It has helped to improve my confidence and self-esteem. It has also given me a purpose.”
“Being a triathlete has taught me never to give up." - Sam Holness
A champion's training regime
Sam’s recipe for success is a mix of passion, grit and a jam-packed, elite-worthy training schedule that he repeats every day.
“My training regime is close to that of an elite triathlete,” he explains.
“I train between 20 and 25 hours per week, sometimes more, normally for six days with one day for recovery.”
Five extra sessions per week are entirely focused on his favorite discipline, swimming, and he dedicates one session to drills.
“I feel free and relaxed in the water,” Sam explains. Having started swimming at a very young age, he loves being in the water: either racing in a pool or splashing around in the sea, he feels at home among the waves.
He also regularly does park runs, alternating different exercises to build strength and technique, and cycles around Richmond Park for a total of four or five times every week.
A champion's diet
Before a race, he normally snacks with peanut butter and scrambled eggs.
“My biggest challenge has been with nutrition,” he confesses. “Primarily, because 80% of people with autism have irritable bowel syndrome. That means that I need to be disciplined about what I eat, especially during races.”
Thanks to the help of his father, Sam's most recent race in Lanzarote (which took place in March 2023) marked the first time in three years that Sam managed to avoid any gastrointestinal-related issues.
“My Dad found the formula for dealing with my gastrointestinal issues by making a recipe with sushi rice and creating a dish made of coconut, cinnamon and soft cheese rather than commercial gels. I eat that during the races.”
Rice is a slow-release carb, Anthony explains regarding his thoroughly perfected secret recipe, so the food doesn’t upset Sam’s stomach while being a more organic and nutritious dish.
"But I'm not going to share the full recipe!" he jokes.
Before a race, sometimes Sam also charges his energy by playing Survivors’ "Eye of the Tiger" in his headphones, especially when the noisy ambiance outside could bother him.
“I am not worried by the crowds or the noise like I used to be, as I have learned how to focus on the race and not what is happening around me.”
Sport and autism: what are the barriers?
Unfortunately, athletes with autism still face many prejudices and barriers when it comes to entering the world of sports — even more so in competitive and pro levels.
“The first issue is that there isn’t a category at the Special Olympics or Paralympics for people with autism to compete, mainly because we have an intellectual rather than a physical disability,” Sam explains.
That means he can’t take part in events such as the Games, and can only compete with neurotypical athletes.
“That is perhaps the biggest challenge, and something I’m trying to change,” Anthony adds. "I wrote to many people."
Not only the sensory challenges, but also the lack of inclusivity in clubs and the insufficiency of trained coaches present more barriers for athletes with autism.
Many professional coaches around the world might not recognize (or refuse to recognize, in some cases, afraid of the necessary changes and adjustments that come with inclusivity) the strengths, determination and incredible possibilities of athletes like Sam.
“A lot of coaches couldn’t communicate with Sam, they talked too fast and asked too many questions,” Anthony explains, talking about the path that led him to eventually become Sam’s full-time coach.
Sport can be a transformative, life-changing discipline, and the Holness family know it well. Every day, Sam’s family celebrates his amazing accolades but also — and perhaps more importantly — his journey.
“It’s the best job I’ve ever done. I got to see him mature and grow into a champion.” - Anthony Holness
“Dad is doing something that has never done before: to create an elite triathlete with autism," Sam says.
For Sam, being part of the Guinness World Records family is an amazing experience.
Listening to the Holness family as they go through the events of the last years - with their ups and inevitable downs, as well as many, many recognitions - it is immediately obvious how close and proud they are of each other. Their openness and will to adjust, listen and communicate is awe-inspiring.
That, of course, goes also for Sam's record: his achievement and ground-breaking accomplishments represent, indeed, a family effort and an example for many people in (and out) of sports.
"I am excited and proud of being the first athlete with autism to compete at the Ironman triathlon held in Kailua-Kona, and hope that I can inspire others with autism or look like me," Sam said.
"I have learned love," Anthony adds while talking about the many things he learned whilst coaching his son. “Unconditional love. I have learned to adjust – to communicate.”
When asked about the record holders he would like to meet in the future, Sam mentioned fellow athlete and record holder Kristian Blummenfelt.
The Norwegian champion entered the annals of Guinness World Records when he achieved the fastest time to complete an IRONMAN® triathlon (male) ever, completing the iconic race in just a little over seven hours!
Many competitions and races await Sam, and he is ready to face them all.
“The biggest challenge is racing at the Ironman 70.3 World Championships in Lahti, Finland. I will probably become the first with autism to race there in August.”
He will also be participating in the upcoming London Marathon in April 2023, aiming to cross the finish line in under three hours: "in the future, I will extend my sports to include trail running,” he explains.
Between one race and one training sesh, Sam also has his eyes set on plenty of records, aiming to become the first ever pro triathlete with autism.
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