Sportlink creates buzz with Guts and Glory

BY GIANNA UBRIACO

Greater Sudbury's Sport's Council, SportLink, hosted their second annual Guts and Glory luncheon last Friday and the event featured three local athletes sharing their sports stories and speaking about what it takes to be successful.

One of them included the reigning middleweight Canadian boxing champion, Amber Konikow. She recently won her first medal on the international stage and will be entering the ring for the national Championships in B.C. later this month. She's also poised to reach the World Championships in October of 2008.

"It takes hard work, sacrifice, dedication, and determination, but it's all worth it," she said.

One of the other local stars on the panel was Sheldon Burton, who recently won gold in the 58-kilogram division at the 2007 Pan American Wrestling Championships marking the first time a local athlete has earned that title. The 18-year-old will be traveling to Saskatoon for the Junior Nationals in March and the Nationals in April, and hopes to garner a sport on the Canadian Junior Team.

"Wrestling has taught me many things, like the fact that there is no goal that is unachievable for me and if I work hard towards my goals, I know I can achieve them," he proclaimed.

Last, but not least, was 21-year-old triathlete Buddy Green, who has already won four provincial championships in swimming and will be competing in the 2008 World Junior Championships in Vancouver this June. He recently lost his dad, but is still looking towards the future and hopes to represent the Canadian National Team one day, to complete in the Ironman competition in less than ten hours, and to take part in the 2012 Olympics.

"Even though my dad is gone, I know everything happens for a reason," he concluded.

The special event also showcased a handful of other high-profile athletes, like one of the world's premier endurance competitors, Ray Zahab, who ran for an average of 70 km per day for 111 consecutive days through Africa's Sahara Desert.

"I've learned that we are capable of anything that we really set our minds to," he said. "As corny as it sounds, the only barriers we have are the ones that we put up ourselves because I'm living proof of that. Believe; there are no limits."

Meanwhile, the gala also included a pre-recorded interview with Alex Baumann, who won two gold medals at the 1984 Olympic Games for swimming in both the 200 and 400 metre individual races with world record times. 
  
"Sudbury has produced many top athletes in the past and will no doubt produce champions in the future as well," he said. "I think one of the reasons for success in Sudbury is that we have top-quality coaching, access to national-standard facilities, and you also have that community support."

Ultimately, the second annual event was a huge success for SportLink, which works to use sport for economic development through leadership, providing educational opportunities, advocating communication and cooperation between community partners, and by facilitating events. Their president, Lisa Kivinen, feels that successful athletes, like the ones they played host to at the event, are modern-day heroes and role models for everyone.

"They ignite our communities and give us constant hope by doing something of outstanding benefit that most of us would find almost impossible to perform."