Shalaya Valenzuela named Canada's top Indigenous female athlete

Canadian sevens star Shalaya Valenzuela has been named her country’s top Indigenous female athlete.

The 26-year-old Olympic silver medallist, who is a member of Tseshaht First Nation on Vancouver Island, received the Tom Longboat Award at the end of October at the Aboriginal Sport Circle gala held in Ottawa.

The Award’s male recipient this year was Olympic swimmer and Kainai Nation member Apollo Hess.

“It’s right up there,” Valenzuela told media. “It’s one of the biggest national awards you can get for Indigenous sports.

“So, I would put it right up there next to the Olympics. I’m really proud to be able to represent my culture on the world stage and being a role model for Indigenous athletes. I think it’s just as meaningful but in a different way.”

Valenzuela will not be seen back on the pitch for some time. Earlier this year the sevens flyer underwent surgery to repair a torn ACL in her right knee sustained as she represented TC Gemini in Women’s Elite Rugby.

It was an injury that came at an inopportune time. Last season Valenzuela not only turned out for her country on the HSBC SVNS circuit and even helped the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds to a first ever U Sports title alongside the likes of Piper Logan, Rachel Smith and Florence Symonds.

 

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Extended time on the sidelines is not any players idea of fun, although Valenzuela is tackling her rehabilitation head on and has aims to be available for the latter end of the SVNS World Championships in 2026.

“Recovery is going really great,” she said. “I’m three months post-op. I’m almost running on land. These next couple of months will be really important and meaningful just because I’ll be able to step back onto the field and hopefully be running really quick here.

“I expect to play again, I would say, end of April or May. I’m not going to rush anything. But if I’m feeling great and everything is going as planned, then hopefully I’ll be able to catch the last couple of World Series tournaments.”